More Than Meets the Eye
by thea46
Summary: Clary loves the pleasures that life has to offer. After going through all the rich kids, new fish arrives. Jace, Golden Boy. Clary went for a quick in and out with him but with their fire an 'in' is given but is an 'out' guaranteed? *CLACE ALL HUMAN
1. New Fish in The Sea

**This is a new idea that I have been toying around with for a while. I have no idea where this is leading but will really like your take on the first chapter. So please don't be a silent reader.**

Clary flicked her silky, voluminous red tresses over her shoulder. She gripped the heavy book between her chin and her shoulder and her phone sideways in her mouth, using her lips to sheath her teeth, and tried to open her jammed locker which refused to budge. She was suddenly relieved of her precarious situation when two hand took her book from under her chin and gently pulled her phone from between her lips. She breathed a sigh of relief and straightened herself from the awkward way she was crunching her body to maintain the delicate balance. She turned around to see her best friend Isabelle standing beside her with a pile of books in her hands, her book had also made it's way onto that pile, and both of their phones on top. She grinned at Clary and shifted the pile on her hand to keep it from slipping.

"Now you have to open my locker too." she said, signing towards the load she was standing there with.

"I can't even get mine opened." Clary replied, pulling on the locker handle fruitlessly. She moved on to Isabelle's locker and it opened at once without causing any trouble. Clary turned towards Isabelle and took her books from under her own one and shoved them into the locker and shut the door at once earning a protest from her best friend who immediately handed her book and phone to her and reopened her locker and retrieved a pack of face wipes and ripped it and took one out and placed it on her face, breathing through it.

Clary swiped her forehead free of sweat. She just couldn't with the Idris heat. The sun felt like it was gonna eat the whole earth up, she couldn't wait to go seek the reprieve from this heat in her air conditioned car. Being a public school, Shadow High School wasn't centrally air-conditioned. If only her locker would open.

"Why don't you call one of those show offs? Their overly built muscles should at least be of some use to us." Izzy said, jerking her chin toward the group of football players of the school who were talking with a few girls, rather showing their body off and letting those girls admire their muscles. "You dated one of them, right?"

"Nope. Not one, a few of them, actually."

Izzy looked at her and smirked.

From the way they were dressed, anyone would think that they were the sluts of the school, not only their attire but their actions also will allude to that fact. Isabelle was wearing an off white crop top with no sleeves, not even straps, and a short skirt that was almost non-existent. Clary wore a light green tank top which complemented her emerald eyes and shorts that were actually decent. Her hair was pinned up to prevent the strands from falling on her face and the rest was hanging down to the middle of her back. Isabelle's hair was done in a tight bun which made her look more fierce than she usually looked. She was very tall and the creamy skin of her long shapely legs were on display. After many dress code breaking detentions, even the teachers had given up and let them dress as they wanted as long as they didn't show up wearing see through plastics or only pasties and thongs. Both of their make-ups were light due to the heat.

"Hey, Bitches!" called Kaelie, one of the popular girls of the school. Kaelie was very pretty with her blonde hair and blue eyes but her attitude took all that virtue away. Clary and Izzy were also in the popular group and acted that way to hold their status.

Isabelle waved with her fingers and Clary blew a kiss at her. Kaelie and her posse walked away towards the parking lot. Izzy rolled her eyes behind their back and turned to a grinning Clary.

"These days I don't even know why we tolerate them." Izzy said.

"Those makeovers cost money and our dads are not rich enough so we need rich boys and they are experts at scoring rich kids who are too dumb to live." Clary said as if she was reciting from a poem she had learnt by heart.

"That is why you are my best friend. You always remind me why I do all the distasteful things I do." Izzy said, trying to pull Clary into a hug but getting deferred by a poke in her stomach from the book she was still holding. "Oof! Go get that Sebastian or Jonathan, whoever you dated last to get locked opened for you."

Clary laughed and went to do as she had asked.

Clary pushed through to the heart of the crowd where she knew that she would find her latest fling, rather purse, being hero worshipped by other girls. She looked around and realised that between herself, Izzy and the other popular girls, they had gone through the whole football team once. That was bad news. Once the boys got to know that they won't actually put out and were using them for their money, they usually steer clear. Given that there were idiots between them who didn't even realise that they were being treated as human ATMs and continue buzzing around them like flies until they got bored and swatted them away. Clary was all for the money but the idiocy just got too much for her sometimes. Izzy and she was like that. That is why they tried to stick with one longer than the other girls. Kaelie and her posse were dumb too so they didn't really have a problem and actually didn't talk with the boys, preferring their bodies. Izzy and Clary didn't actually sleep around. They just pretended to so that they can hold up a reputation and score good money.

Sebastian was standing with the ball under his arms and running his hands through his black hair which flexed his biceps. He was a fine specimen and very smart too. He had lasted with Clary for the longest but he was too intense. She put her flirtatious smirk on and approached him.

"Could you come help me with something?" she asked innocently. Guys like Sebastian digged that.

"Anything for you baby." He gave the ball to someone else . Clary caught a few glares from the girls around her but shook it off. "Although you broke my heart." he said dramatically clutching his chest. Clary rolled her eyes at him, knowing that it will irritate him.

"My locker is stuck, could you open it?" she said, coming to the actual issue. Sebastian made as to go with her but then stopped and pulled another guy from he crowd surrounding them. Clary noticed that he was new there and absolutely couldn't be on the team with his built but lean body. He was probably a new kid who had made the cut to be with the popular guys. This was good news. New fish. He was not hard on the eyes either, instead he was all gold. Golden hair which was a bit too long for her taste, she liked buzzcuts and its variations, but it seemed very soft from afar. He was tall, taller than Sebastian who was quite taller than her, so he towered over all of them. The only one probably equally tall like him was Izzy's brother Alec Lightwood who was on the team but kept very quiet and was never seen with girls. The guy had a typical rich kid smirk and held himself carelessly but held a certain stance that suggested that he wouldn't take more than a second to go from the laid back attitude to fight ready. He was looking at Sebastian, waiting for his next words.

"Let's let Jace do it. After all belonging with us takes a certain charm and chivalry."

"I think I have enough charm for this whole town." Jace spoke with a lightness but also certainty that invited no argument. Clary knew at once that this kid was gonna be fun, she will have to get to him before Kaelie did.

"So you won't help a damsel in distress?" she said, coyly.

Jace's eyes sharply focussed on her. Her breath caught at the pure gold that his eyes seemed to be made of.

"Well, if you put it that way, the gentleman in me can't resist." he said, with his head cocked to one side and that smirk permanently pasted on his face. He broke away from Sebastian and the others and walked towards her lazily. The crowd parted for them to go through, from the corner of eyes she could see Sebastian watching them closely. When he stood right in front of her, she understood how tall he actually was. Even with four inch heels, she was significantly smaller than him, without heels she would probably break her neck looking up. He smelt of something, deo probably, which was sending her head into a frenzy and she almost forgot how to breathe when he leaned down and stared right into her eyes with those molten golds. "Lead the way, miss." he whispered.

She snapped back into her senses and spun around and looked at the ground to catch her breath and saw a curious Isabelle standing near the lockers with one eyebrow. She tried to control her breathing and the blood rushing to her face. She had seen so many handsome boys, played almost all of them and never had this reaction.

'Not a big deal, just a first reaction to the first gilded person she witnessed in her life.' she thought.

Jace asked for her combination and pulled the door open with a little force and stood aside inviting her to do her work with a hand in the locker's direction. She put the book in, which she didn't realise she was holding onto for dear life, and took a step back to close the locker, feeling that she was walking into the personal space of a warm body which smelled heavenly. After she closed her locker and turned around to thank him, he placed a long finger on her lips and leaned in towards her ear and said "Nice working with you,...?"

"Clary." she blurted out.

He laughed a little and concluded "..Clary."

Clary stood there looking at the tall golden figure walking with light graceful steps towards the group he was actually standing in, unaware of Isabelle walking towards the exit gate.

'No biggie,' she thought 'I just need to have a go with him and get it out of my system. That look needs maintenance so he had to be loaded. A quick in and out.'

She followed Izzy's receding figure to the parking lot.

 **There, the first chapter. Should I continue? Tell me in the reviews. This is not edited.**

 **Love, Thea**


	2. Assessing the Fish

**Okay, here I am again. I was encouraged to continue by you lovely people so I will. I hope I don't let you down. Constructive criticism appreciated.**

"Who was that fine male specimen?" Isabelle asked, as soon as they entered her car. Clary wasn't a big fan of driving so she let Izzy drive her car whenever she wanted, which was most of the time. Isabelle had begged her father for a car but had been brushed off because Alec had one and her parents felt that the siblings could make do with that. When Clary got her car, albeit nothing too glamourous, Isabelle had jumped at the opportunity to drive. They were in their senior year but Izzy had made it clear that until and unless she got her own car, she will consider Clary's her own, after all what was your best friend's was yours, right?

"Jace." Clary replied, her heart still beating faster than regular and her mind reverting back to gold eyes.

"Sebastian's new lackey? Haven't seen him here before."

"He's new here. He is in the popular guys' group but he is far from a lackey." Clary said remembering the exchange in the hallway a few moments ago.

Izzy lifted her brows in half surprise and half amusement, "New guy? Already in Sebastian's group and not a lackey? Interesting." They stopped at a red light and she turned towards Clary, "So, he was clearly gorgeous and loaded but not really my type. I think you should bag him. Besides, he was clearly hitting on you back there."

Clary snorted, "Yeah, give him another girl who was in 'distress' and he would probably act the same."

"Maybe, but what do we care? All we need is the money." Izzy said, restarting the car after showing the finger to a driver who was honking too much.

Clary shrugged. "Yeah. And we have been through all the loaded ones. At least between us and Bitch K and her posse."

"Now that you mention her, I think you should make a move before Kaelie whips something up, rather out." Isabelle said with a wink, and both the girls burst out laughing at her imitation of Kaelie.

"Mom, Dad, I'm home! And Izzy is with me." Clary shouted in the direction of where she thought her parents might be.

"And we are both starving!" Isabelle added.

A kind faced, red headed woman came out of the kitchen, "Go change, girls. Food will be served when you are done. And Isabelle, I know it's hot, dear, but that skirt is not appropriate for school." Clary's mother scolded Isabelle in a motherly way. In all senses Clary's mother was Isabelle's second mother since the girls where stuck at the hips and spent most of the day together, preferably in Clary's house.

"I know, Mrs. M, but you gotta attract boys some way, I am high maintenance, you know." Isabelle said, with a wink.

Jocelyn Morgenstern just rolled her eyes and shook her head, reprimanding her. Izzy stuck her tongue out in a guilty kind of way and made her way towards Clary's room.

"What did I hear about attracting boys?" An average heighted man came out of the room adjoined to the kitchen/dining space/living room.

"Dad," Clary hugged her father tightly and he patted her back affectionately.

Valentine Morgenstern was a good father. He was attentive and challenged Clary to be better. Together, Clary's parents were the best team and Clary could only hope to find someone like that in her own life.

"I don't want my daughters to be attracting bad boys. Isabelle, what are you wearing?" he said when he caught sight of Izzy. "Has Robert lost his eyes, sending his young daughter out like that. I will not let my girls dress so trashy when they are actually so smart and classy." Valentine chided her as a father would. Isabelle had good parents who looked after her and her brothers but they ran a business and where busy all the time so Clary's parents were the one Isabelle looked to for guidance and accepted the scolding like any daughter would.

"Now, now. Go, freshen up, girls. You are sticky and stinking." Jocelyn cut in.

Clary's home was a one storeyed house which was quite spacious. Going in through the front door there is a big room with a couch and a T.V, at the corner of which is the kitchen island and a few feet behind the couch, the dining table. On the right wall, the door led to her parent's bedroom and the right next to it was Clary's bedroom. Both the room had bathrooms in them and were big enough to be comfortable. It wasn't lavish, but homely.

Isabelle on the other hand lived in a two storeyed huge house with manicured lawns and helpers because her parents were rich. Yet she never asked them for money for what she and Clary wanted because she didn't want to be the daughter who causes trouble. Her brother Alec was very toned down and barely asked for anything and her younger brother Max was too young, all he wanted were comic books. Izzy didn't want to be the waster of money so she and Clary used their femininity to meet expenses.

They entered Clary's room which painted by Clary herself with the help of her mother. Both the Morgenstern girls were painters and Valentine was more into books and knowledge and stuff. He was a librarian and Jocelyn taught art classes. Their income was enough for Clary until she had a taste of the forbidden fruit. Keeping up the charade of such a girl was tough and exhausting. It was easier for Izzy because she was actually concerned with how she looked and make-up and shoes and stuff but Clary couldn't care less about all that. What she loved were the adoring gazes and the respect that she got in school. She had been a nobody before they joined Kaelie and not being picked on for being not so rich was nice. Izzy was a beautiful girl, tall with perfect skin and black straight long hair while Clary was short and plain. With all the make-up and dress up, she felt beautiful and worthy. She knew she was being pathetic and her dad would be so disappointed but she was only a teenager seeking validation.

"Hey, what are you thinking?" Clary saw that Isabelle was freshly showered, wearing the set of clothes she kept in Clary's house and rubbing her hair with a towel.

"About the fact that you are dripping water all over my bedroom."

Isabelle rolled her eyes at her, "You are not doing anything wrong, okay. Those guys use girls too. What they are getting is a taste of their own medicine."

Clary's lips pulled into a lopsided smile. They both had an uncanny ability to tell what each other felt.

"Come on, go shower. I want to eat." Isabelle pushed her friend towards the bathroom.

After eating, the girls were resting on Clary's bed. Izzy was filing her nails, Cary always bit hers off so there was no point in doing the same. She was lying down with her mind clear of thoughts.

"You should embark on mission Jace tomorrow."

At Isabelle's words her blank mind was immediately filled with gold. She opened her eyes and looked at her best friend. Izzy blew on her freshly applied polish and said, "I mean, first just hang around him and see if he is loaded. I am almost hundred percent sure that he is, though."

Clary thought about the proposal. She can't lie and say that she had no interest in him because she had, more than anyone ever before. He intrigued her. All the guys in that group was there since freshman year and were all loaded. Ad they treated new kids like shit but somehow this one had made it onto the same platform before the week was up? 'Probably money.' she thought. But something was telling her that it was more than that. She was excited to find out more about this Jace guy. Dating such a beautiful boy will be very easy.

"Okay, so there he is. You go up to him and start your work. If you need help, just pull your ear." Isabelle finished briefing Clary. Jace was standing a few lockers down from theirs. Alone. Perfect time to get things on the move.

Clary nodded and was going to go approach him but stopped short when she saw Kaelie walk up to him and stand a bit too close and start talking flirtatiously. She looked at Isabelle who had her brow raised. "Damn! That bitch is fast. This one is gone, Clary. Lets move on." They knew that if one of the girls got through with someone, it's very rare that they go for another one of their kind. Izzy closed her locker shut and went on her way to her class. Clary followed her but turned around to look at Jace over her shoulder and was surprised to find him looking straight at her even though Kaelie was running her manicured nails along his arm. Clary blushed and turned back around and hurried away. She had seen pretty boys, many pretty boys. Dated them too. But never had wanted someone so much, as if something was telling her to go be with him but she knew the rules. Jace was Kaelie's man-ATM now but it felt like such a waste to let him go be just that. She got a feeling that there was so much more to him than money. Maybe it was the artist in her that was admiring the planes of his face and muscles of his lean arms and the golden halo that seemed to surround him always.

 **This was the second chapter. I know very less Clace but I want to set the stage first. So, what do you think? Are Clary and Izzy total bitches? Is Jace gonna be a dumb douchebag like them all? Tell me in the reviews.**

 **Love,Thea.**

 **p.s : I need validation too.** **So please review and tell me what you think. At least 3 reviews before the next chap, please?**


	3. Laying out Bait

**Hi! Guys! Thank you so much for the reviews, follows and favourites. They keep me going. Here is the new chap for you.**

Clary looked down at her Physics book and acted as if she was listening to what was being taught in class. They were revising old stuff that day and she had no interest in listening. Even if they were doing a brand new topic or something she wouldn't have been able to concentrate because Jace had come into the class and taken the seat right next to hers.

He wasn't speaking and hadn't even acknowledged her but she could feel his eyes on her, continuously. She had let her hair fall over her shoulder to create a curtain between her face and his gaze but even then she could still feel that he was looking at her. She finally decided to man up and talk to him. She would've chosen the flirtatious way of communication if he was her next target but as Kaelie had already gotten a move in, she didn't see the need to. So she spoke as she would normally.

"Is there something on my face?" she said, swivelling around to face him.

"Yes." he said, "Beauty."

She was surprised at that. Her mind told her that it was a corny pick up line but her heart had different ideas. She decided to listen to her mind.

"Has that line ever really worked for you?"

"It was not a line, DD, it was a fact." he said, with a shrug. His trademark smirk in its place already.

"DD?" she asked, confused.

"Damsel in Distress, remember?" he said, softly tapping the side of her head with one finger. He laughed softly, not drawing the attention of their teacher who droned on, unaware of their exchange.

Clary swatted his hand away, "My name is Clary. And you will call me that only." Her fiery side that she kept hidden from everyone at school, specially boys, came out.

He raised his hands in surrender "Your wish, my command. Miss Clary."

She narrowed her eyes at him. She didn't know him but she hadn't expected him to give in so easily. Without a single jab at her overly flirtatious behaviour and lip biting from the day before.

"Chivalrous men listen to their Damsels in Distress."

There it was. The jab. She knew it would come. She snorted. Loudly. That made the teacher turn her way and she quickly looked down, pretending to be submerged in the most interesting subject ever. The teacher turned back around and resumed teaching.

"That was not very lady-like or attractive, was it?" Jace was grinning at her.

She controlled the urge to snort again or punch him in the face and settled with just rolling her eyes at him.

For some reason, that made him laugh even harder. She remembered her silly behaviour from the other day and although she always did just that to score rich kids, behaving like that with Jace seemed simply hilarious. His laugh was infectious and soon they were both cracking up, shoulders shaking trying to maintain an iota of classroom decorum.

Clary had a problem, once she started laughing there was no stopping her. And in this situation, with the inability to laugh out loud, she was barely keeping it together. She clutched the side of her stomach with her left hand and Jace's arm with her right, trying to control bouts of laughter that were attacking her. Jace was smiling widely at her and suddenly he caught the back of her neck and forced her to duck down below the desk and held her there. That sobered her up. She struggled to come up, but he didn't budge. Then she heard the teacher asking about her and him saying that she was just picking something up. He nudged a pen off of the desk and she grabbed it and came back up to find the physics teacher looking at her curiously.

She showed him the pen and said, "I dropped this accidentally, sir."

The teacher didn't seem fully convinced but nodded and turned back towards the board.

Clary let the breath she was holding out in couldn't afford detention, she had loads of things to catch up on. She stiffened when she felt fingers brush her hair back and free her ear.

"You seem to need a lot of saving, DD. I think that name suits you." Jace whispered.

"It's Clary." she said, breathily.

Jace just laughed softly, his warm breath hit the soft skin behind her ear and sent a jolt through her whole body. She felt Jace pull back and immediately missed his warmth.

She had dated many boys and made out with almost all of them out of the need of the situation. Most of those guys were hot and a good kisser too but she had never felt this pull. She hadn't even talked to Jace for more than five minutes and all she wanted to do was pin him down to the chair he was sitting on and slam her mouth on his. She shivered when his fingers softly brushed her neck as he pulled back to move to a respectable distance.

The rest of class flew by and she went to get up and Jace followed her quietly. She knew his locker was near hers that is why she didn't question him. She knew that those jabs about her 'Save me, please!' act had not ended and she didn't want to give him an excuse to continue.

They were met at her locker by Izzy who was visibly surprised on seeing them together.

"Did I miss anything?" Izzy asked.

"Miss what ?" Clary was confused. They just came out of class together, that didn't necessarily have to mean that anything was going on. She looked up and saw the reason behind Isabelle's question.

Jace was looking at her with something in his eyes that she couldn't place. Curiosity would be as close as she could come to explain it.

"Jace.."

He was shook out of whatever trance he was in and his smirk came back.

"Just my DD and all the saving she needs." Jace said.

Izzy scrunched her brows, "DD?" She looked from Jace to Clary.

"Damsel in Distress." Clary said. "This asshat has taken to calling me that."

Isabelle was momentarily surprised at Clary's actual self coming through in front of a rich, hot boy. Then she gathered herself and laughed. "Well, that is a good name."

"Izzy! That is not fair. You've known him for what, one day? And you are already on his team?" Clary whined.

"I have a certain charm that you lack." Jace winked at her.

She blushed, due to the wink or anger, she didn't know. Without thinking, Clary stuck out her tongue at him.

"Well, he certainly has a point." Isabelle laughed.

Clary saw that her best friend had let go of the guard that she usually had around guys that one of them could possibly date. It made her feel good. They had been so fake in the recent past, that being genuine was a good change. A freeing change. She looked at the boy beside her and wondered what was it about him that put both the girls at ease. He was seemingly rich and too good-looking for his own good and had that annoying 'I'm too sexy for my shirt' attitude and how could she forget that god damned smirk which made her feel hot inside. Their perfect candidate for presenting a lot of fake smiles and hugs and kisses. Yet, Clary felt genuinely attracted to him and that was scary.

"My car is at home so we need to catch a ride with Alec."

Isabelle groaned. "Alec is at practise, we have to wait at least forty-five minutes then."

"Its either that, or walk." Clary said.

"I could give you guys a ride." Jace piped in.

Clary raised both of her eyebrows. She didn't have the ability to raise one and anyone who had and exercised it was her pet peeve.

"I don't know.."

"Of course, Jace. So kind of you to offer." Isabelle cut in.

Jace smirked and signed them to follow him.

Clary clutched Isabelle's hand and pulled her towards herself. "What are you thinking? It's Kaelie's turn, remember?"

"It wouldn't harm to check out exactly how rich he is." Izzy whispered.

Clary rolled her eyes and walked out to the parking lot where her jaw dropped at the four rings at the back of Jace's car. Izzy looked at her meaningfully. She knew what her best friend was thinking because she was thinking the same.

'God! Jace was loaded."

Isabelle enthusiastically waved Jace goodbye who returned it with a smirk at her and a wink at Clary and sped away in his too expensive car. Isabelle turned to Clary.

"That boy, is loaded. And kinda fun to be around, too bad he's Kaelie's prey." Isabelle said with a shrug.

Clary nodded but deep down she felt a bout of indignation at Jace being classified as 'prey'. She didn't voice her opinion though. The girls went into her house and were met by two notes stating that both her parents were out and food was in the fridge. She ordered Izzy to warm it, who accepted after numerous groans of protest, and went to shower.

Clary came out, freshly showered to see her brother of other mother, Simon, sitting and talking to Izzy. They were all very close. Clary and Simon's relationship was completely platonic even though he had confessed about a crush on her in eighth grade. Isabelle and Simon always used to fight for Clary's attention but somewhere along the way they realised that it works better if they both talked and left Clary out. So since then, even Isabelle and Simon had become good friends.

"Simon, when did you come?"

"Good to see you too, Fray." Simon called Clary that because he had been the only one to accept that name when Clary, in the fourth grade, had claimed that she was married to an artist named that and should be called by her rightful name. It had stuck since then.

Clary smacked his head and went to get a glass of water.

They ate and talked. Isabelle told Simon all about Jace. Simon shook his head reprimanding them, he had never been a fan of their recent behaviour. "You know I don't like this. Good thing that girl is on it first. Even thinking about you two doing all that gives me shivers." He fake shivered "Isabelle, I can understand but Clary, it's totally out of your character. You don't even like all that girly stuff." Simon continued. He surely missed the hurt that splashed on Isabelle's face otherwise he wouldn't have continued without apologising. "You are gonna be heartbroken one day, Clary."

"Yeah, Clary can be in trouble with her heart, I am too cool to make a mistake." Isabelle said with a smirk but Clary could see the hurt behind her eyes. She didn't know how to address it so she let it go, thinking that she will talk to Izzy alone later.

They talked for a while until it was dark and Simon and Isabelle went home together.

Clary laid in bed that night and felt an unknown excitement instead of the usual dread she felt for the day after. With a pleasant surprise she realised what she was looking forward to. Seeing the sparkling gold eyes and hearing the teasing voice which infuriated her and made her go weak at the knees. She was excited to see a boy at school and for the first time, it had nothing to do with how much money he had.

 **There you go, the third chapter. I just want to thank all of you who followed and favourited and a big shout-out to those who reviewed (I have a bias towards people who have spoken with me** **) I look forward to hearing what you guys think.**

 **Love,Thea.**

 **p.s.: You helped me reach my goal of 3 reviews before update and I held up my end of the deal, so what do ya say? Is 5 asking for too much?**


	4. Fish in the Trap

**Hi! Thank you so much for the reviews, favourites and follows. You don't know how much they mean to me. Every single time I get an email saying that I got a new review or a follow or favourite, it makes me break my face smiling. You guys just light my days up.**

 **I have received one question which I will address now. Someone asked me why do Clary and Isabelle need money. Okay, so I think that I tried to explain it vaguely in the second chapter but I'll say it clearly here. Isabelle and Clary want money, they don't need it. Izzy likes the new dresses and jewellery, you know being as vain as she possibly could be. Clary wants the same because in that school, the more rich acquaintance you have, the more richly you dress, the less you are messed with. Izzy was the one who got Clary into this. Now you know Clary's reason but I'd like to hold back Izzy's reason because we really can't accept her being so vain. ;)**

 **And thank you for the constructive criticism, I will keep it in mind and try to make things more clear..**

 **Now onto the next chapter...**

Clary felt a different vibe going to school the next day. Isabelle had her brother drop her off at Clary's before football practice which was one hour before school started for everyone. Isabelle was completely ready for school, make-up and impeccable hair. She clicked her tongue in hopelessness over Clary's inability to dress properly.

"That oversized t-shirt you are wearing is really very attractive. And paired with those jeans they make you look amazing." Isabelle said with a smile.

"Really?" Clary asked, confused. She didn't think her best friend approved of her attire by her the expression on her face when she first saw Clary. She looked down at the t-shirt and ran her hand down her abs flattening the t-shirt and then looked back up at Isabelle, whose smile had turned into a scowl.

"Of course not !" Isabelle shouted, making Clary wince. "That ensemble screams 'not-slept-a-day-in-the-last-week'."

Clary rolled her eyes at her dramatic best friend.

"You will **not** roll your eyes at me, missy." Isabelle said, moving towards Clary's closet and starting to go through it to find a cute outfit. "That t-shirt is for sleeping in, not wearing to school. And those jeans, whose are they, your dads?" Isabelle turned to Clary and folded her arms and stood there, demanding an explanation for her awful taste in clothing.

"This t-shirt is comfortable and the jeans are mine, they are a bit loose from washing too much." Clary defended her comfortable outfit.

"No, you will throw them out, right now!"

"Nope, not happening until you physically yank them off me and tie me to a chair and gag me. Even then I will be fighting to save my jeans which has been through thick and thin with me!" Clary folded her arms to mimic Isabelle and fixed a scowl on her face.

"I could take you on any day but my make-up will be ruined if I do that now, so you're off the hook for now." Isabelle threw her hands up in surrender. "I will find a cute little summer dress for you."

"Izzy, I got my periods. I don't want to dress up. My stomach is cramping and my back feels like I aged sixty years in one night!" Clary said, as a last save.

Isabelle turned to her with a steely glare and said very seriously, "We strong, independent women do not get deterred by such a simple thing. Besides, would you like to be going back to sophomore year?" She pulled Clary and made her sit in front of the mirror in her room and started working on her face and hair.

Clary had nothing to say against that, she didn't want to go back to that time in her nightmares.

" _Hey, Ginger! Are you hungry, can your father provide for you, you know with being thrown out of the army and sitting in the library, it can't pay much, can it?"_

" _I bet Lightwood keeps you around out of pity."_

" _You know, Clarissa you're family would have been a lot better off without you. You got your dad kicked off the army with your frail health and you are not that good at anything, they will probably have to bear your weight for your whole life."_

" _Hey, is that skinny Clary? Look at what she is wearing, she doesn't have any dressing sense. Oh! Even if she had one she wouldn't be able to buy the dresses."_

" _She could borrow some off Lightwood."_

"Clary!"

Isabelle broke Clary out of her reverie"I knew you were in your head, because you didn't complain once, even when I did your eyes." Isabelle sighed.

Clary looked into the mirror and saw herself but with a polished look. Isabelle had kept it natural and applied eyeliner and curled her lashes which made the grey-green in her eyes more pronounced. Her lips shone with a nude gloss and it looked like she naturally had a rose tinge on her cheek but it was just the magic of Isabelle Lightwood. Clary blinked and shook the remnants of the daytime nightmare she just had. She felt Isabelle squeeze her shoulder softly. She looked up and saw Her looking and Clary with an understanding smile.

"I know. But it's not that time anymore. I'm sorry I brought it up. I love you, you know? And so does your parents and Simon and Max practically wants to date you since he was five." Isabelle said, surprising a laugh out of Clary. She leaned down and hugged her best friend from behind and pointed at the mirror. "That is Clary Morgenstern. My best friend and a badass girl and I wouldn't have her any other way. Make-up no make-up, baggy clothes or sexy clothes." she said, bumping her head against the side of Clary's.

Clary stood up and tackled Isabelle into a tight hug who returned it as tightly. They didn't let go until they heard Jocelyn's voice, "I love how cute you both are but you are getting late for school. You know we have only one car, Clary, and your Dad needs to go to work."

Clary nodded and picked the light yellow dress that Isabelle had laid on the bed and went to the bathroom to change when she heard Jocelyn and Isabelle talking to each other.

"Really, Isabelle, you should stop buying Clary things. Her closet is growing in size like every day."

"I didn't buy it Mrs. M, a friend of hers gifted her that."

"You guys seem to have a lot of friends willing to gift you expensive things these days. I hope you girls are being careful of the company you keep."

"Yes, Mrs. M. These people are filthy rich and like to show off their wealth by giving their friends expensive gifts. Nothing more, don't worry."

She didn't hear anything after that, just the click of the door shutting. She came outside, dressed and ready. She picked up her bag and followed Isabelle out of the door, throwing the car keys at her.

She hated lying to her mother but she knew her parents wouldn't approve of the way out she had chose.

She didn't see the blonde head she wanted to for the first half of school and when she saw it, she was pleasantly surprised to see him looking over at her from the boys table he was sitting at. Beside her Isabelle was engaging in some mindless chatter with the girls who were faker than politicians' promises. Clary smiled at Jace which he returned with his signature smirk. She was about to go up to talk to him when her perfect view of his face was ruined by a bleached white blonde head and red nails in his hair. She was taken aback to see Kaelie suddenly attack him like that. There were hollers and hoots in the cafeteria, mostly from the table Jace was sitting in and Sebastian was thumping his back congratulatorily, some were telling them to get a room. Clary turned her head away feeling a sense of deep disappointment. She had known Kaelie was going to go in for the kill but seeing it in actuality hurt. She caught Isabelle's concerned eyes and frown and shook her head, pleading silently for her to drop the topic.

The hollering died down and Clary turned back around to see Jace looking impassively at Kaelie. He stood up and sharply tugged her arm in his direction and let it go and walked away. That was a clear sign of 'follow me.' Kaelie fixed her hair and went after him.

'Maybe he wants to make out in private.' Clary thought defeatedly. She stood up, passing her left over lunch to Isabelle and left, mumbling something about a test that she had to study for.

She was standing in front of her locker, fifteen minutes after she left the cafeteria. It usually took two minutes if she ran but this time she walked at the pace of a snail, her mind riddled with distracting thoughts. She reached into the locker trying to take out the books of two of her next classes because she didn't want to go back to the locker in between, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It couldn't be Isabelle because she didn't have a class that required books at that time and the hand didn't feel like hers, it felt like it could be a lot heavier but the person was holding back on their strength and being gentle. She took her books out and clutched them to her chest before turning around to face the person she could very well guess the hand belonged to.

"Jace!"

He was looking at her as if he was trying to gauge her mood. He raised one eyebrow for a second before washing emotions off his face and asked, "Where were you during the last few minutes of lunch?"

"I left early to study for a test."

Jace narrowed his eyes at her, "There is no test, Clary."

"I have classes which I don't attend with you, Jace. After this one.."

"After this one the school gives over early because of the first game of the season." Jace cut in. "And as far as I know about this class, we don't have a test."

Clary feigned confusion and muttered that she probably mixed schedules up and half turned around to close her locker door but Jace beat her to it. He leaned nearer to her, resting one of his right hand on the closed door of Clary's locker and the other place lightly on her waist.

"I think you left because you were jealous when Kaelie kissed me, DD."

Clary tired to brush the insinuation off by laughing but what came out was a weak, pathetic excuse of a laugh and it sounded more like a sigh and whimper. She took a few calming breaths and said in a strong voice which surprised her, "You are delusional, Jace. Why would I be jealous of her?" It was almost believable. Almost.

Jace smirked, "I know that you are lying right now because from the second you saw me, you were all but throwing yourself at me with the cute girl act. It didn't take me more than a few minutes to see through that. Even now you have the indifferent girl act on. And guess what, it is even more easier to see through right now." Jace's voice drew to an almost whisper, "Because we are sharing the same breathing space and I didn't miss your shaky breath and the calming breaths you took." Jace said, leaning more into her, trying to emphasize his point.

He suddenly pulled back and stood with hi head cocked to one side, "Besides, which sane girl can resist all these." he said, pointing to his body.

"A sane, lesbian girl, asshat." Clary said, finding her streak back.

Jace grinned, no smirk an actual grin which made his face light up with genuine amusement, "So you agree that every sane, straight girl can not resist me?"

Shit! Clary had walked right into that.

"And as far as I have heard from all of they guys that you are very straight, or were you just using them as your beard and are just really uncomfortable to come out of the closet?"

Clary looked at him, dumbfounded. She was sort of using them but not for that reason.

"Nope, I am completely straight. And I can resist you. I am resisting you. Scratch that, I am not attracted to you in the least."

Jace smirked, "Your body language doesn't say so. I am standing so far away and you, all pressed into your locker, look like that girl from Fifty Shades of Grey."

She immediately stood up straight much to his amusement, she was working out a good comeback in her mind when their teacher, whose class they had next, Mr. Starkweather, suddenly came up behind Jace, "Mr. Wayland, Ms. Morgenstern, If you are done with your useless conversation, may we proceed to the class?"

She nodded, timidly, shocked and embarrassed at a teacher catching them having a conversation like that even though she wasn't sure how much he had actually heard.

"After you, Mr. Starkweather." Jace said, with his usual snark.

The teacher shook his head dismissively and walked on. Jace smiled at Clary who suddenly noticed books in Jace's hand and had no idea how they got there, and offered her his arm. She gave him a lopsided smile and linked her arm through his and revelled at the familiarity and comfort of his touch.

The game was pretty average, Clary had no interest in football and used to go mad with the football talk when she used to date those rich jocks. Jace attended the game and sat by her. She asked him if he was going to try out.

He shook his head in negative, "Football is just not my thing" he said, his eyes never leaving the field or the ball "Besides, I don't have time for practise because I Am planning to thro in some extra hours of work." he looked at her and juggled his brows. It took Clary a moment to understand the innuendo and when she did, his shoulder received a sharp smack which he laughed off.

They were standing in the parking lot beside Clary's car which her father hadn't taken to work that day, waiting for Isabelle to finish gossiping and ogling hot boys and come there to go home.

Jace had one arm resting on the cars top and the other hanging carelessly by his side. He was leaning into the car, shifting his weight from one leg to another. Clary had opened the door and was sitting on the passenger seat with her legs dangling out.

"So, this day was not so bad." Jace tried to make small talk.

"You suck at small talk." Clary straight up dismissed his efforts and laughed when he pouted. How can a person be all chiselled stone statue hot and teddy bear cute at the same time! It shouldn't be possible! But alas, it was, and the physical proof was standing in front of her, towering over her.

"It was okay, for a Thursday. I'm just waiting for tomorrow." A Thursday game night was rare, but the respite from school was welcome.

Jace nodded. "So,.." he started to say and seemed to hesitate but then gain back his confidence. "Since, today was a game night instead of tomorrow, you are free tomorrow evening?"

Clary could guess where this was going. Her stomach had butterflies at the prospect of Jace Wayland asking her out. But then it hit her. She could never say yes, even if he asked.

"What I am trying to say in so many words is will you would go out with me tomorrow?"

"Like a date?" Clary procrastinated.

"Exactly like a date, Clary." He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled.

"Jace.." Clary delayed her inevitable 'no'. Her voice probably gave away her imminent answer because confusion and disappointment clouded his eyes.

"I cant.."

"But why? I mean, really, do you not like me that way or is it something else? Have I misread the situation for the whole week?" The genuine curiosity and care in his voice made her want to spill but the horn of her car blaring made her look up. Isabelle was standing outside the car with her hands on the wheel.

"You ready to go, Clary?" she asked, looking between Jace and Clary.

"Yeah. Get in I'm coming."

Clary stood up from the seat and half closed the door and started to say, "Jace, it's not.."

"You know what, you don't have to answer now. I really want to get to know you, Clary. Just think about it and tell me tomorrow." Jace said hurriedly and kissed her forehead and walked away.

Clary stood there, stunned. She had not expected Jace to want to get to know her. She wanted to get to know him too. He was so different than the rich douches. She wanted to peel every layer of snark off of him and get to know him and also come clean to him about herself. She didn't know what he would do if he knew all her dirty secrets but she suddenly wanted to take that chance, tell him all about why she was holding back, Kaelie, the other girls, the serial dating, the money, all of it, and see. Just see how he reacts and what he thinks of her. And hope that he understands and they actually start out strong.

She was brought back to reality which made her mind slam the door on her radical heart by Isabelle honking. She entered the car and slapped on the seatbelt. Her best friend looked over at her with concern and curiosity. She shook her head and said, "Drive. Just drive."

 **Whew! That was a long chapter. It's quite late where I am sitting right now so overlook the spelling errors please. Oh! And someone asked me to do Jace's POV. All I can say is wait and watch(read). ;] I have it planned and will introduce you inside the mind of the enigma that Jace Wayland(?) is but at the right time and place for things to have the right effect. Till then, bear with our girl Clary [ And your girl, Thea] and lets see where things go.**

 **So, Follow, favourite and love it if you review and let me know what you think.**

 **Love(lots of it!), Thea**

 **p.s: I have 10 reviews till now, I really want 6 more till the next update. It's up to you guys to show love[or hate :'( ]** **You may get faster updates if you tell me what ya think.**


	5. Fish Out of Water

**Hi, guys. Are you getting bored?**

 **And to K : I will write Jace's POV, I promise. Just not now. I liked the idea you have, maybe I'll use it somewhere else, here I already have something planned so I hope you will stick with me till the end. Love you.**

 **To Kaitlin: I'm glad you are interested. I hope that I can hold your interest all through.**

 **On to the chapter…**

Clary had been holding her breath all through the next day at school. She had turned every corner warily and had gone to her locker with a book in front of her face. She just didn't want to see Jace and squash the only chance she had at being with him. He had asked her to think about her decision but she knew that no amount of time could change her decision. Hell! Even she couldn't give the actual answer she wanted to give.

During recess, she had no choice but to go to the cafeteria and do the inevitable. Isabelle had been looking at her with concern all day. She had even voiced her concerns but Clary had silenced her saying that she knew the rules and wasn't going to enrage Kaelie because she held a lot of power over both of them. She couldn't put Isabelle on the line for her silly infatuation. Isabelle had tried to protest but Clary had brushed her aside and given her the silent treatment the whole day to avoid the topic. She just wanted to get over with it and then cry with her best friend and eat tubs of ice-cream, not caring about the hourglass figure she had worked so hard for.

Isabelle went to get both of their food after squeezing Clary's hand supportively. Clary took a deep breath and turned to the boys' table, expecting to see gold eyes directed at her, but was surprised when she didn't see him there. She looked around for Kaelie, thinking that Jace might be with her. No, Kaelie was sitting at their usual table with the other girls. Clary scanned the whole cafeteria for him but had no luck. She didn't have any class with him that day except the last one so she couldn't have seen him. She walked over to the boys' table.

"Hey, Seb, have you seen Jace?" Clary asked.

Sebastian turned to her as well as a few other guys at the table. "If it isn't Clary Morgenstern. Why are you looking for Jace? He your new boy toy?" he smirked.

Clary saw that there was something unfriendly about Sebastian's smirk which she hadn't noticed before, albeit she hadn't seen Jace's smirk before to compare both of them but now she compared every aspect of them. Sebastian had been her longest fling because he had some brains and was kind of intimidating and Clary didn't have the courage to drop him until Kaelie had snapped her out of it by saying that if she dumped the quarterback, she would be even more respected and feared. She thought that Jace and Sebastian were completely opposite. Physically. Jace also had Sebastian's attitude but with soft edges and friendly corners which didn't intimidate her. Jace challenged her and accepted her challenges too. With a jolt she realised that in spite of knowing him for like a week, she was the most genuine with him. She couldn't help but be herself in front of him and let her whole fiery personality show. She couldn't put up the elegant façade she had been putting up for every one at school in front of him.

"Earth to, Clary!"

She jerked back to reality and saw Sebastian looking at her with quizzed eyes.

"So, do you know?" Clary feigned indifference.

"I haven't seen him today. He usually watches the team practise but today he didn't come."

"He won't be coming to school today, he had to work with his father. Some business thing." Alec said.

Clary knew Isabelle's brother but they weren't close, not even to call him a friend. He spoke very less and liked to keep to himself so she was surprised to get information about Jace from him.

"Yeah, he and Lightwood have been getting close. Since last week. I think Wayland is the only person Lightwood actually talks to. I don't know what Wayland did, the guy hasn't been buddy buddy with anyone for so many years and Wayland comes in and on the second day they are best friends." Sebastian answered her unasked query.

Alec had gone back to minding his own business while Sebastian looked at her expectantly.

"Thank you." she said and turned back to go when she was tugged back by a hand on her wrist. Sebastian was holding her wrist, none too gently.

"Why did you make that dumb excuse to stop going out with me?" he asked, a sudden fire dancing in his eyes.

"It wasn't dumb, I just couldn't have put up with your rich, eccentric parents. That one day we accidentally ran into them at your house, your mother clearly hated me." she said, pulling her hand back.

He laughed a ridiculing laugh, "Clary, how do my parents come into our relationship, it's not like we were going to get married, we were just having fun. We didn't even do it. You asked me to wait and I did but you broke up before we could. You sort owe it to me after waiting for so long and wasting so much money on you." he looked her up and down, "Even the top you are wearing was bought by me, I kind of have the right to take it off."

Clary felt disgusted, with him or herself, she didn't know. "I didn't want casual." Clary felt like a hypocrite saying those words.

Sebastian burst out laughing, "You don't want casual?" he said between laughs. Suddenly he stood up, every trace of humour gone from his face, he bent down to her ear and said, "You think I don't understand what you, Lightwood's sister and those other girls do? You date us for our money because you don't have any. Although I think Isabelle does it for fun because her parents are loaded. The other's may not get your intentions but I do, gold-diggers. At least Kaelie puts out. I just go with this because dating you all is fun. But you are all bark and no bite. The most boring of them all. Now that all of you have gone through all the boys, you are after Wayland."

He stood up straight and said with a soft smile, as if he had not just chilled her to her bones, "Wish we could've worked." He leaned down and softly kissed her cheek and sat back down and engaged in conversation with the other boys.

Clary stood there, stunned, until she willed her feet to walk away. She sat beside Isabelle, her appetite gone. Isabelle looked at her.

"What happened? You look like you have seen a ghost."

Clary turned to the raven-haired girl with haunted eyes, "He knows, Sebastian knows."

Isabelle looked confused for a while and then her eyes widened and then she looked impassive, "It was just given that some will eventually figure it out. We have just a few months of school left. As long as he doesn't open his mouth we're good. Then we can both move on and leave all of this behind."

Clary nodded. Just then the bell went off signalling the end of recess. Isabelle picked her tray up to throw it. Clary grabbed the untouched containers on her plate and let Isabelle take her plate away too. She kept the food in her bag and took things out to sustain the second half of school.

Clary was almost done with school and couldn't wait to go home and plop down on the bed and not move for about the next decade. She was waking to her last class when she was suddenly pulled into the girls bathroom by none other than Kaelie.

"Listen Clary." Kaelie said, very seriously. "I don't know what you have done to Wayland that he won't give in to me. I heard that he asked you out yesterday. I mean since last year that is not so surprising as it would've been two years back. But don't forget that if it hadn't been for my pity, you never would've been visible to someone like Jace."

Clary nodded timidly. That girl had the power to make or break her, she had to be careful. Just six more months and she would be free of all of this.

"So, what were you going to tell him?"

"I was going to decline. I thought you wanted him." Clary said.

"That would've been prudent but the case is that I have tried and have had had no go, to my surprise. Somehow, he seems to be very taken with you. So I want you to say yes."

Clary's heart soared. She could say yes. She could be with him. A smile threatened to break out on her face but she controlled it. She couldn't let Kaelie know that Jace was more than just a prey for her.

"But.." the tall girl continued, "I have intel on Wayland. His family just moved to town. Mr. Wayland doesn't come out of the house, rather mansion, he has bought, neither does his wife. Only Jace is seen. He seems to be the only child. So he has all of it. I want a piece of that so you can be the entry but you have to make sure that we all get a bite."

Clary nodded, having no intension of letting Kaelie use Jace like every other boy toy but not protesting because she knew that it wouldn't help her cause.

"I want your spoken promise, Clary. Not a nod."

"I promise I will do my best to prolong this relationship and get us what we need till graduation."

"Good." Kaelie smiled a sinister smile at her and walked out.

Clary looked at herself in the mirror. Cheeks flushed, eyes bright. Her body had started showing the excitement she felt at being able to accept the date with Jace.

Clary walked out to the parking lot where Isabelle stood near Alec's car. Technically her parent's had given it to both the siblings but it mainly stayed with Alec. And he was generally late due to practise and Isabelle usually rode in Clary's car when it was available. Most of the days Clary's parents let her have the car for school but until her father needed it for work. That day her father had to go pick up books for the library and Clary had to catch a ride with Isabelle and Alec. Good thing Alec didn't have practise otherwise they would've had to sit an hour at least.

"Had a good day? I mean after the incident." Isabelle asked, sceptic of the bright eyed Clary.

"The best." Clary beamed.

"Good." Isabelle said almost like a question. She looked past Clary, "There is Alec.. and Jace Wayland." She looked confused, most probably because she didn't know of her brother's friendship status with Jace.

"They are kind of good friends, according to Sebastian." She said before turning around.

Alec was walking alongside Jace. Both were almost equally tall, Jace a few centimetres shorter but his fluffy hair made him look as tall as Alec. The out of the ordinary thing was that Alec was talking. Actually talking, a bit too much and too fast by his standards. Jace was nodding to whatever he was saying. Both the boys were walking steadily, Alec looking at Jace but he was looking straight ahead and when his eyes met Clary's, she took in a sharp breath and he smirked.

She felt like something missing had returned. How could she have grown so used to him in the one week she had know him? He had just been going to her school for two weeks now and she missed him more than the people she had been seeing for years. She smiled and got a genuine one in return. Alec looked between Jace and Clary and understood that his listeners attention had shifted and fell silent.

"Hey, DD! Miss me?" he said as soon as he came within hearing distance.

Clary did miss him but played it cool, "Oh! God, And here I thought we had gotten rid of your ridiculous smirk." she said, jokingly. "Can't I go one day without seeing your face?"

His bit his lower lip against a smile and shook his head with narrowed eyes at her, the action made him even more attractive. "You know I had a lot of work today but had to come here, can't take a day off social work, you know. Denying the female population a glance at all of this is federal crime."

"Oh, really?"

"Uh, huh. And I had another very important doubt to clear at school today."

Clary looked him up and down. He was wearing a simple white t-shirt and his regular jeans which was ripped at the knees. A casual attire but he could wear a burlap sack with holes for hands and head and he would look hot. She smirked at him and played like she didn't get his question, "Did you? From Mr. Starkweather?"

"No, I believe I did from a Ms. Morgenstern." He stepped closer to her and looked into her eyes with light but serious eyes.

"Yes."

"Huh?" he was thrown off by her prompt answer.

"I think your doubt just got cleared, Jace."

His face broke into an actual smile and he pulled Clary into a hug who hugged him back while giggling. She was wearing heels but her head still only barely reached his shoulder, she was that short. She was straining to hug him which he understood and lifted her off the ground which made her squeal. He put her down and said, "I will meet you today near the Library at seven, or I could pick you up from your house too."

"Library is perfect. It's not far from my house and my dad works there."

He nodded. "Cheese or jelly?"

"Cheese." She promptly said but then realised that the question was out of context and was about to ask him what he meant when he put one finger on her lips and shushed her. "No more questions, dress casual." He kissed her cheek and waved to Alec and went on his way, walking with his hands in his pockets, taking one out occasionally to run it through his hair.

Clary turned to see that Isabelle had taken the driver's seat and Alec the passenger. She slid into the backseat of the sedan and shut the door. Shivering at the sudden coolness in the car compared to the heat outside.

"Spill!" Isabelle demanded.

Clary looked in the rear view mirror and found that both the Lightwoods were looking at her. The female one with excited eyes and the male one curiously.

"I have a date in three hours." She said excitedly and then covered her ears at the high-pitched squeal from the driver's seat.

 **A.N: Yay! She said yes! He He! I'm acting as if they are getting married. But a date is the first step, right?**

 **Drop a review if you want, or favourite or follow. :) :)**

 **Love, Thea.**

 **p.s: I try to update every day or every other day. Clace date next chapter and the entry of a very special character {Malec fans might be happy.}**


	6. Keeping Fish in a Fishbowl

**Hi! I'm back! Sorry for the later than usual update. This is the Clace date special! Hope I can do all of you and them justice. Before the chapter, I just want to thank those who followed my story and favorited. I love every one of you. I loved reading the reviews. I just want to request the Guests to name themselves something so that I can reply and properly thank you for the time you took to review to my story.**

 **FirePheonix77** **: Thanks for the review and I'm so glad that you like my writing and the plot. I hope I do right by it and hold myself up to your expectations.**

 **msgoldeneyes** **: Haha! I'm glad that you like the titles. The first ones where easier to make but now it's tougher. I'm having to research steps of fishing to come up with new ones with correct terms.**

 **Jling** **: I am so glad that you like this. I hope you will stick with me till the end and I will be able to hold your interest.**

 **I don't know if the one listed as '** **Guest** **' who reviewed on every chapter is the same person but if you are the same person, you're awesome! Just give yourself a username or something by which I can recognize you. Just review again with a name and tell me it's you so that I can properly reply because every one of your reviews made me smile.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to everyone who is sticking with me throughout! I love you.**

"You sure you don't want my help dressing up?" Isabelle asked, for what it seemed like the millionth time to Clary.

"No, Izzy! He said to dress casually. I'll be fine. It's just a date." Clary reassured her friend.

"That is another reason why I am worried." Isabelle huffed and plopped down on the bed.

Clary stopped rubbing her wet hair with the towel and walked to the bed and sat by her best friend. "What do you mean?"

Isabelle flicked a wet strand of red hair sticking to Clary's face over her shoulder and took the towel from her and kneeled behind her and started drying Clary's hair.

"You smell good, did you open the strawberry shower gel I gave you?"

"Yes, but that's off topic. What's the other reason that you are worried?" Clary said, her voice coming out static, spitting out hair and holding her neck steady with her hand, it felt like it would snap as Isabelle was not being very gentle with her head.

Isabelle stopped with the torture disguised as drying of hair and sat back down. "The attitude you have towards this date is worrying me."

"Why?" Clary asked while trying to detangle her wet hair so that she could tame it.

"I have never seen you like this. All the dates you have gone on have required hours of prepping and dressing up right because you wanted things to go well and actually get the chance to play the guy. But, this time the vibe is different. I can tell that you are genuinely invested and I don't know how to feel about it."

"Shouldn't you be happy that I actually want to date someone and he wants to do the same too?"

"Of course, I am happy for you. It's just that we don't know him that well. We know that he is rich and somehow popular with just two weeks into the school. He could very well be like the rest of them and want you because you are pretty and popular and dress well. I just don't want you to get your heart broken."

Clary softly smiled at the concern her friend had for her, "I'll be fine, Izzy. He is not like them others. If he was he wouldn't have refused Kaelie. She is like the most popular girl at school and everyone knows that she actually fulfills what she promises to give." Clary said, pointing down between her legs and earning a startled laughter from Isabelle. "He actually wanted to go out with me after I fought with him and put in zero efforts. I can be myself around him without feeling the need to replace my personality with a flirtatious girl. I want to go on this date as myself and start by showing him hundred percent me because I am done with all the fake things. I want this to be genuine. If he doesn't like that then it wasn't supposed to be." She shrugged.

Isabelle hugged her for a while and then sent her to get ready. "You spent an hour eating, another showering and half of another drying your hair, you might want to get ready. I mean I'm all for this genuineness but I don't think you want him to see you in your bath gown, although he surely wouldn't mind."

Clary chuckled and went to pull out skinny jeans and a plain white top with spaghetti straps and wore a button down shirt with blue green checks and black lining. She did up the last two buttons. After combing through her hair, she twisted it up at her nape. She left a few strands hanging at the side of her face, it softened her face. She just applied a bit of lip balm and went make up free. Satisfied with how she looked, she turned to Isabelle for her approval.

"You look.. like you." Isabelle said, looking her up and down. "Wow! It's been so long since I've seen you go out like this. You must trust your instincts too much to go on a first date which you are kind are kind of serious about all natural."

"I told you. I want this to work properly. And I am not who I act like at school and I can't keep up the charade for longer than this school year. I want to be real and if he wants me he will get the real me, not the school version of me." Clary said.

Isabelle walked up to her and grabbed both of her shoulders firmly, "I am so proud of you, Clary Morgenstern. I wish I could be as strong as you are."

"Are you kidding me? You are the strongest and most amazing person I know and the fact that you are my best friend makes me so lucky. You were the only person within the popular girls who treated everyone good. And, through that hard year it was only because of you that I remained sane and didn't run away or something." Clary said, from the bottom of her heart.

Isabelle looked stunned, like she had never imagined that someone held her in such high esteem, then she rubbed at her eyes and turned away, complaining about dust in her eye. Clary was about to go hug her but right then her mother knocked on the door and popped her head in.

"Clary, it's almost seven, you needed to go to the library at seven."

"Yeah, Ma. I'm going."

"You want to take the car?" Isabelle asked.

"You just want to drive me there so that you can see how it goes, so no thanks." Clary said, narrowing her eyes at Isabelle who just shrugged and laughed.

"I'll sleep over today because I need details. Do you mind Mrs. M?"

"Of course you can. I'll just call your mother."

"I don't think that is needed because she won't miss me." Isabelle said, an undercurrent of resentment in her voice, to smooth things over she added, "She comes home late and goes straight to bed, she feels tired after the whole day. I'll just tell Alec, he'll be worried."

Clary's mom just nodded and left.

"Okay, wish me luck." Clary said with fingers crossed.

"All the best!" Isabelle mimicked her and the girls giggled like the teenagers they were.

All through the walk to the library, Clary pondered over how much information would be right to divulge in the first date. She had been on many first dates but had a script in her head and had been coached by Kaelie and the others but this time it was just her being herself and that scared her out of her wits.

She saw the gate of the library and the parking lot a few feet away. The structure of their town was weird, there should be a café or something opposite a library but instead there was night club. So that area of the town looked heaven and hell different during sunlit hours and dark hours. In the morning it was an innocent place for commoners to study and read in and hang out, in the night it was a hangout of rich people partying at Pandemonium and drinking themselves stupid. For a normal person to have an invite into Pandemonium was a huge thing. There was a huge economic disparity in people living in their town. Not having a private school, all the rich kids of Idris also went to the public school and held the power there. Even the school had become a place of showing off their wealth. Hence, Clary had to do what she did.

As Jace's car was not there, she went inside the library. At seven, the parties had not started yet and the street still looked normal. She saw that the library was mostly empty and her father was sitting at the librarian's desk and entering some records in the very old computer.

"Dad."

Valentine looked up. "Clary, what are you doing here?"

"I was meeting a friend in front of the library and since he's not here I came inside."

"Him? Simon?"

"No, a new kid at school."

"You are meeting with friends to hangout?"

"Uh! Friend. I'm meeting only him, Dad. For a date." Clary knew that her dad wouldn't stop her or question her but still her voice squeaked. Whose wouldn't while telling their Dad they were going on a date?

"Ah! So I need to meet this young man. What's his name?"

"Jace Wayland. His family just moved to town."

"I haven't seen his parents around."

"Yeah, his father remains busy and doesn't go out much and his mother is a stay-at-home mum."

"Okay."

Clary turned and through the glass door saw that the blonde oy was standing in front of the library holding a bag in his hand and staring at his phone. She went outside and tapped his shoulder. He turned around and smiled after seeing that it was her. Clary returned the smile and appreciated him. He always wore similar stuff which didn't look normal but she was sure was of hundreds of dollars.

"Where's your car? Didn't you bring it?"

"Nah! I just walked. My house is not that far away." His flushed face suggested otherwise.

"Okay. Too bad! I liked that car of yours."

"Yeah! I'll take you out on a ride sometime. In some other awesome car. Actually the last one wasn't my favourite. I'll show you sometime, it's fast."

Clary would've been miffed by the rich boy talk but his eyes held a genuine appreciation for cars and she loved people with a genuine passion. She just smiled and nodded.

"Is this the Jace I've heard so much about?" Clary heard her father's voice. On a second thought, it might have been a bad idea to let her father meet Jace on the first date. She looked at him apprehensively but he didn't seem perturbed. He took Clary's father's hand and firmly shook it.

"That would be me, Sir!" Jace said, with a serious but kind face.

She looked at her father, he seemed to be impressed by Jace's attitude. Firm but not rude. Being in the army, Valentine Morgenstern liked people who could stand their own.

"Call me Mr. Morgenstern, Sir sounds odd."

Jace replied with a short nod of his head. "I'll have your daughter back at home by ten. I'll walk her right to your door."

"You better do that. My family is everything to me and I won't hesitate to take action if any one of them are harmed."

"My family is everything to me too, Mr. Morgenstern."

The conviction in his voice probably eased Valentine's mind and Clary saw her father relax and get out of Lieutenant mode. He put a hand on her back and pushed her towards Jace.

"Go, you two. If you want to come back, you need to go."

She laughed and went to take Jace's hand who clasped hers in his and turned away and started to walk. They talked while walking and Clary felt lighter than she had in years. She didn't realise that they were standing in front of the joggers park.

"We are gonna be here?" she asked, incredulously. With Jace's standards she had expected somewhere money draining.

"Yeah, why don't you like it? I know a perfect spot for a night picnic." He seemed unsure of his choice.

Her face broke out in a wide smile. "I love this."

He seemed visibly relieved. They walked through the park to a point on the bank of the pond at one side of the park. The place looked different at night. She was a regular there, she and Isabelle worked out and jogged there to stay fit but had never visited at night. Jace brought out a cloth and spread it on the grass. It was almost pitch black so it was a bit hard to see but Jace didn't seem to care. The moonlight served a soft luminescence and the angles on Jace's face created shadows and made him look almost dangerous. His usual gold was replaced by a pallor and looked unfamiliar. Clary understood how much of Jace was there in that golden aura and that it was huge part of who he was to her. He finished spreading things out which wasn't much. Just sandwiches and apples and paper glasses with caps like they give in café if you order coffee or juice. It wouldn't be coffee at night so it probably was juice.

Jace looked up and smiled at her, his face immediately softening and losing the dangerous edge. He saw her looking at the spread before them and frowned.

"Do you not like it? I could've taken you to a restaurant but I figured you would like this better. We could still go to a restaurant though if this is too." he looked tense and unsure.

Clary smiled and walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, "I love this, this is perfect." She felt his body relax and his arms around her shoulders before pulling away and sitting down on the cloth with her legs folded beneath her.

"So, what have you got here? Is this chocolate!" she reached for the bar but frowned when it was cleanly picked out of her reach.

"This is dessert." Jace said, keeping it behind him and laughing at her cute frown. He leaned towards her and bopped her nose with his index finger, she scrunched her face up and swatted his hand away.

She picked a sandwich up, "Did a help in your home make these?" she bit into it and continued with her mouth full, "They're good!" Her words came out garbled but he got them.

"Thankyou." He laughed, more like snorted, "I made them."

"They're good. So, you gathered these stuff yourself? Hiding from your Dad? Is he angry that you are going out with me?"

"No. He doesn't need to do everything I do with my life. I like you and you like me so we'll go out."

"So sure? That I like you? I could just be using you for your money?" She asked with eyes narrowed jokingly.

His face grew serious. Clary bit her tongue, internally. He was a rich dad's kid, maybe he had a history of people using him to get close to his dad's money. She might have struck a nerve. "Are you now?" His voice was quiet, and challenging with a bit of apprehension mixed in it. "I think that's not true." He had moved closer to her face. "I think you like me too much for your own good." She ran her tongue over her bottom lip, he leaned closer and… took a bite of her sandwich.

She shivered, because of the relief at not offending him or his closeness she didn't know, maybe a bit of both. She cleared her throat while he smirked. After composing herself, she jumped on him and started repeatedly smacking him, effectively pinned him to the ground and straddled his abs.

He held his hands up to protect his face from her assaults, "Ouch, ouch! Okay, okay! Stop!"

"You deserve it, you tease!" She smacked him again and he rubbed his shoulder and looked up at her.

"I am the tease? If you haven't noticed Miss Morgenstern, you are the one straddling me." He said with his signature smirk.

In reply, she sat on his stomach with her full weight receiving a groan and wince and return.

Jace sat with his legs stretched out in front of him, carefully cutting the apples he had brought with him. Clary lay with her head on his leg, looking up at the sky. A few stars were visible and the moon shed a dim light on both of them. Clary's red tresses were scattered on his legs and contrasted with the black jeans he was wearing. She had a serene look on her face.

They had talked about most random things, and laughed. A lot. He didn't remember the last time he laughed so freely with someone without a sense of foreboding. Having Clary with him felt natural. Although this was their first date, it felt like they had been together for a long time. There was a unexplained familiarity between them. It was as if they had known each other for their whole lives.

He finished cutting the fruits and kept them on the paper plate he had beside him and started stroking Clary's hair. She looked up at him and smiled. It was the softest of smiles and made him feel like he needed to protect the girl carelessly lying on his legs with all that he had. He had never felt like that for anyone other than his family. It was usually him and his family against others. His world against the rest of the world. Sitting under moonlight and looking at her face made him want to let her enter his world. He felt that she wouldn't judge him. She was real, genuine.

He remembered his first week in Shadow High, seeing every new face and getting acquainted with the cliques and fitting in with the upper levelled popular kids and having pretty girls throw themselves at him. He could tell that every single one of them were fake and had no goal other than Wayland's money. Clary had been one of them too, asking him to help her with the locker, trying to flirt with him with the helpless attitude and pouty face and batting her eyelashes. The other girls angered him but she amused him.

She had looked so out of place and out of her natural element in school that he loved to tease her with his nickname and see her fiery spirit come through. He had wondered why she hid herself and mixed with those 'popular' girls but then had smacked himself. Wasn't it so obvious? She just wanted to fit in and not be targeted. He had seen in his last school and this school how the popular students treated the quieter ones.

He was glad that Clary found enough comfort in his presence and trusted him enough to show her real self. She looked so beautiful lying in there washed in moonlight. No make-up and simple clothes. It gave him the opportunity to see her real self inside and out and he felt honoured that she left her insecurities and trusted him enough to be just Clary.

"You want apples?"

She nodded but didn't open her eyes. He held out a piece for her to take it but she just opened her mouth inviting him to feed her. He chuckled and fed her a piece but then ate it himself earning a smack to the head.

"You keep hitting me." He said, rubbing his head "I am wondering now if it will be safe for me to ask you to be my girlfriend…"

Clary's eyes shot open and she sat up as fast, "Did you just ask me to be your girlfriend on our first date?"

"If we are going to be talking first date etiquettes here I should mention that we have crossed many lines. People are usually shy and composed on their first dates, mainly females, and do not hit their date several times. They don't snatch food. They do not eat so much." He pointed at the empty container which previously had cheese sandwiches, most of which Clary has wolfed down, "Oh! And most of them dress up," he said, pointed to both of their casual attires "Not that I don't admire your natural beauty. Also people are not usually that forward with the touching on their first dates and you were just now sleeping on me." He finished listing all the disrespects to the institution of first dates and ate up the other pieces of the apple. "I deserved that, you ate all the sandwiches."

Clary stared at him open mouthed in shock and defiance. "Okay, first of all, there were ten sandwiches and I ate only eight. I gave you two. Why don't you take that as a compliment to your sandwich making skills? Secondly, you deserved all the smacks because you were being an ass, which I might add, is against first date rules. Thirdly, I want that chocolate." She reached for it and found herself chasing Jace around the pond and along the trees trying to rescue her chocolate from his evil clutches. She got close enough to him and launched herself at him. He lost balance and both of them fell headfirst into the water.

Clary rose to the surface, spitting out water and coughing at the weird taste in her mouth. She looked around for Jace and grew nervous not seeing him anywhere. She swam around for a few seconds when she was suddenly picked up into the air and thrown back into the water. She came up to see Jace convulsing with laughter. She splashed him and got one right back.

They came back up to the ground, not shivering because of the warm weather. They started laughing their heads off at the sights they were. Jace shook his head violently, spraying Clary with water.

"Oh no! See you made me lose the chocolate bar." Jace said, standing up and pulling Clary up to her feet.

Clary felt disappointed, she had wanted the chocolate.

Jace smirked and brought the bar out from behind him. She snatched it and opened it at once. Jace chuckled and bent down to gather their stuff up. "Don't eat it all yourself."

"Hm!" Clary said with a mouthful of delicious chocolate exploding her taste buds and the perfectly melted texture doing things to her heart.

Jace shook his head as if to say, "You're a hopeless case." He picked his bag up and placed his hand on Clary's back and nudged her towards the track which would lead them all the way to the gate of the park. They walked the park squabbling over the chocolate which Clary was finishing herself. They almost reached the gate when Clary pulled Jace to a stop. She felt that she had chocolate all over her mouth. She knew she looked silly but was ready to address the unanswered almost question of his.

"Yes." she said.

Jace's brows rose. "A 'yes' yes? Like a 'I'll be your girlfriend' yes?" he asked, excitedly.

Clary felt her face break out into a huge smile. "That is the exact kind of yes I said."

Jace smiled a real smile without a trace of sarcasm or big-headedness but in an instant that smirk came back. "Do you know what I can do now?"

"What?" she asked, confused. What could he be referring to right standing there in the jogger's park. Surely, not..

"I can eat that chocolate you finished without giving me more than one bite."

Before she had time to figure out the implication behind his words he leaned into her and pulled her mouth to his. She was surprised at first but then moulded herself to the kiss. It was awkward, with their height difference and sticky because of all the chocolate on her face and tasted very chocolatey and apple-y. She let go of the wrapper she was holding and wrapped her hands around his neck and pulling at the hair at the base of his neck and turning the strands and the nape of his neck sticky with chocolate. He didn't seem to notice, even if he did notice, he didn't care because he pulled her closer and higher until only the tip of her toes were touching the ground. Her complete weight was on him and he didn't seem to have to have any problem holding her up. She had kissed many boys before, she'd had to, to keep up the act. Some had felt gross, some had felt good, some had felt outright wrong. But this, here with Jace, she felt right. They fit perfectly even with their differences, physical, economical and mental, they felt like one of those movie couples. She knew how much real it was and how much she wanted it to work. She felt giddy, she had her first romantic relationship in life.

Jace finally put her down and they stood with their foreheads touching. "Told ya, I would eat the chocolate." She giggled and took deep breaths and felt him do so too. It felt like they would stay there forever but they were very rudely broken apart by a very amused voice.

"Look what we have here!"

She sprang back and looked towards the gate of the park. A tall man, a few inches shorter than the boy beside her, was standing there. She had never seen such a man before. He was clearly new in town and had a weird dressing sense. He was wearing a rich purple scarf around his neck and a blackish t-shirt and over that a multicolored coat. His hair was jelled back with what seemed like glittered gel. She couldn't make out in the dark at first but when he came closer she could tell that he was wearing eyeliner in a way which would make Isabelle jealous. She wondered who he was until she heard Jace exclaim, "Magnus!"

Jace ran to the man and tackled him in a hug, both of them laughing with joy.

"Okay, JC! Get it together! You are going to squeeze me to death and deprive the world of this wonderful face and personality."

Jace pulled back and slapped the guy on the back, "It's so good to have you here, man!"

Magnus looked Clary up and down frowning, probably at her dressing sense which compared to his was rather bland, "Who is this beautiful lady whose face you were trying to suck off?"

Clary blushed at his crass expression, Jace didn't seem perturbed. He looked at Clary with eyes lit with joy, "Magnus, this is Clary, my girlfriend. And Clary, this is Magnus, my best friend from my last school. He has always been there for me since we met three years ago."

 **A.N: There you go! Now I wrote you the longest chapter and a tiny Jace's POV . Did I do it justice? Tell me, guys! Don't be silent readers, it never hurts to share your feelings. And Magnus is here! He seems to be Jace's best friend! So, do you think Malec will happen? Who am I kidding? Malec always has to happen! The question is how? Stay tuned to find out.** **Remember to review.**

 **Love, Thea.**

 **p.s. Sorry for the late update, life got in the way clubbed with writer's block. I waited because I wanted to do Clace justice and you patient readers justice and myself justice. Stick with me guys, I promise I'll try to do better by you. Love each and every one of you and love talking with you guys so review. You can follow and favourite too if you wish to.**


	7. Playing with the Fish

**Hi guys! Thankyou for reviewing and following. I love all of you so much!**

 **Guest** : ** _Glad that you like this. I am the biggest clace shipper so of course they'll be together (Or will they?)_** ** _Stick with me and keep telling me what you think._**

 **Jling** : ** _Thankyou so much! Jace doesn't know under what context Clary is dating him but he feels that she is different, genuine. He suspects the gold-digging but of course has no prove. And Clary will come clean about her past very soon, like in this chapter soon._** ** _Keep reading!_**

 **msgoldeneyes** : ** _Thanks for the review. I'm so happy that you like it. I hope you will stay with me._**

 ** _Kaitlyn_** ** _: Aww! Thank you for the compliment, I felt so good. I can promise that I have a lot in store for this and hope that you remain hooked to this story._**

It had been two weeks since their first date and Clary and Jace were inseparable. They had been hanging out a lot. At school they were the 'it' couple. And by 'it' I mean most talked about.

There were glances which reminded Clary of where she actually stood in the order of things, many levels below Jace, but when it was just them, it was magical. Clary had read and watched movies about magical high-school romances, her parents being the real life fairy tale, but had never envisioned one for herself. Jace had come out of nowhere and knocked the air out of her lungs. The last two weeks at school had been the best of her whole high-school experience. She was actually happy.

After she had been befriended by Isabelle, the teasing had mostly stopped because no one wanted to anger the daughter of Robert and Maryse Lightwood. They were major benefactors of the school. Even if Shadow High was a public school, it was run mostly from donations from the rich families so the hierarchy was formed like that. Isabelle had been popular because of her surname but she didn't let things get to her head and actually treated people well. She had saved Clary and since then the girls had been best friends. That was one incident where Clary had been overwhelmed by the event and the second one was now.

Jace was wonderful, sarcastic and quirky, and he could be the sweetest and kindest person too. He had somewhat unsettled the 'natural order' of things. Having stopped the guys on the football team from acting like brainless idiots and treating normal people equally. He had earned the respect of many from the student body, and with that came a lot of crushes but he seemed to only have eyes for her. He had shared childhood stories, most included his father, which made Clary very confused about the kind of person Michael Wayland was. Why would such a fun person almost lock himself up inside his home and never show his face outside? Clary had never asked, sensing a hesitance, she figured he would tell her if he wanted.

Clary had been avoided Kaelie for all purposes. That ice queen's heart had not melted by Jace, she still saw Jace as a prospective of good cash. She had avoided the conversation by saying that asking for things would be very suspicious and they could lose their fish. Even saying those words had taken a lot out of Clary and she had avoided Jace for the rest of the day because she had felt like she was betraying him. Their relationship wasn't transactional, it was real, at least it seemed real. They didn't know most of the things about each other but yet they felt like they had known each other for centuries.

She hated lying to him. Even though she wasn't but she felt like she was using him and he didn't deserve that. She had to tell him the truth about her past as soon as possible because if it ends badly, the longer she waited, the more it would hurt.

Clary realised that she had been toying with her food when the loud bell rang. She dropped her fork on the plate and sighed, the chatter around her coming into focus. Jace and Alec was sitting at a table with Isabelle and her. A few boys from the team were there. Simon had to work so he had left early. Jace and Simon had developed an unexplainable tension and Clary could do nothing to break it. She didn't like her childhood bestie not being on good terms with Jace. She made a mental note to corner Simon later. She had tried asking Jace and had always gotten a vague "That dude doesn't seem trustworthy".

"Clary?" she looked up to see Jace looking at her curiously, she became aware of the hand he had kept on her thigh. "Where are you lost?"

Clary gulped. It was now or never, "I need to tell you something."

Jace nodded and asked her to go on.

"Not here, come with me." She got up and tugged his hand to make him follow her. He followed, confused.

She led them to the girls washroom, thankfully because recess had just ended so there was only one girl there who looked at them nastily and left.

Jace took both of her hands in his , "You look stressed. What happened? Tell me." He urged her to go on.

"I..uh.." she hesitated. She looked at their hands and knew that it didn't have to be longer, if Jace was angry and broke things off, it would hurt as bad. She didn't want to ruin things.

"I just missed you today. We don't have any class together and yesterday you had to work with your father so, yeah."

Jace's eyebrows rose and then he frowned. "You brought me here to tell me that you missed me?"

"Yeah, can't I want a little privacy with my boyfriend?" Clary tried to play coy but cursed internally when her voice came out anything but. To cover up her nervousness, she pulled him into a hug. Jace held on tightly too but she felt the tension in his muscles. He suspected something was up. What was she thinking, he wasn't dumb!

Clary pulled back, "I have class, I should go." She quickly pecked him on the cheek and was leaving when she was pulled back by her hand and before she could comprehend anything, there was a very welcome warm pressure on her lips. She moulded herself to his embrace and revelled in the feeling of strong arms around her and his taste on her lips. She tangled her fingers in his golden locks and felt all of her second thoughts and nervousness fall away.

Jace ended the kiss with small soft kisses on her lips and finally pulled back. The playful charm was back in his eyes, "Now that, is what you do when you have missed your boyfriend and want privacy with him." He kissed her on the cheek much like she had before, "This is simply not how it works." He kissed her other cheek, near her earlobe, "By the way, I love the way you call me your boyfriend." he whispered. She instinctually tilted her neck the opposite side, giving him access to her neck. He pressed his face to her neck, lightly. She could feel his smirk at her obvious helplessness but she couldn't care less. She didn't care that she was in school and was making out in the girl's bathroom, she didn't care about the class she was going to be very late to, all she wanted was for him to go on. At last she understood why people sneak out of classes to make out. If their partner was even half as good as Jace, they were in for a treat. Jace's hands roamed her back, supporting a bit of her weight, she knew that if they were not there, she would be liquid puddle at his feet. Jace lightly licked the side of her neck before softly sucking on it. She bit her lips and balled her hands into fists, gathering his t-shirt into them. Jace retraced his path back to her lips but right then the doors opened and Clary tried to hide in his chest, trying to save herself from the embarrassment at being caught making out in a washroom.

"Save it, Clary Morgenstern. I can see Jace and he wouldn't be making out with anyone else in the girls' washroom other than you. If he was I would have broken his teeth and did some serious damage to that too perfect face of his."

Clary straightened and came out with a red face at Isabelle's voice. She saw her standing at the door with her hands on her hips, her whole posture screamed demanding. Jace had put his hand around Clary's waist but dropped it at one killer glare from their intruder.

"Jace, go to class or wherever you like to but you miss, need to come to class with me right now! You guys may have a cute romance and I am going to be gushing about this make out session later but right now, I will not let you drop your grades just because you have a cute boy who you are in love with, Clary."

"You're in..?"

"I'm not in..!"

"Oh, shut up! Anyone with a common sense would know that you two are super into each other. Maybe not love. Yet." Isabelle pulled Clary out of the washroom, she half waved Jace a goodbye and tried to keep up with Isabelle so that she didn't get her arm pulled out of its socket.

She got scolded by the teacher before entering the class but didn't protest or try to defend herself, she just looked at the ground, her neck and face growing red, people may have thought that it was because of the embarrassment at being reprimanded publicly but actually her mind had decided to relive the last fifteen minutes spent with Jace and that made her turn red inside and out. She apologised and entered the class and sat at the back and kept zoning out but Isabelle kept her promise of not letting her grades fall just because Jace had decided to work his magic on her. Clary was once again thankful that Isabelle had come into her life and actually cared about her and knew her as well as she did.

"So, Alexander, how long have you been on the team?" Magnus said, leaning towards Alec who scooted closer to his sister.

"It's Alec. Since freshman year." He was almost sticking to Isabelle who was re applying her lipstick.

All of them, with the exception of Jace, was sitting at a café near their school. Jace had left very abruptly. All of them had planned to hang out after school in the café and very surprisingly Alec had volunteered to go with them. He never like hanging out with his sister and her friend, preferring the team instead but lately he had been hanging out with them more. Jace hadn't asked her about the thing she wanted to speak about before and she was glad that he had not gotten a hint of anything. He was about to go with them but then had received a phone call and had taken his car and left citing work. He had a different car that day. Clary was again awed and reminded of his status but didn't feel that pressure she felt while dating a rich guy, the pressure of trying and keeping him entertained without going too far and not letting the group down. This time it was real, Jace was all hers and that scared her in new ways but mostly felt liberating.

Clary was accidentally elbowed by Isabelle who was trying to get her brother to move away.

"Alec, its too hot and you are almost on my lap. Scoot over towards Magnus." Isabelle shoved him away forcefully making Alec land on Magnus. Alec quickly scrambled to get upright while Magnus was smiling cheekily.

"Well, well, Alexander. I like forward people."

"What do you mean? She pushed me." Alec looked at Isabelle searching for backup but got a smirk instead.

"Only family will give you a push in the right direction." Magnus said, philosophically.

Simon who had been engrossed in the video game of his laughed at this. A smile was also growing on Clary's face, who had been brooding because Jace wasn't there. She was glad that Magnus was there. The glittered man had grown onto her. In his words he was a "freewheeling bisexual" and had made that fact very clear to them, especially to Alec. He must've developed a crush on Izzy's brother but sadly Alec didn't date men. On second thought, Alec didn't date anyone, the last girlfriend of his was when they were in middle school. Izzy had recounted the 'horrific' event of walking in on her brother kissing a girl in vivid detail to Clary several times over the course of their friendship.

Clary finished the black coffee she was having and got up to go.

"All right, guys. I'm going to go, have to study."

Isabelle nodded and waved goodbye.

"How will you reach home, Biscuit? You don't have to walk, I'll give you a ride." Magnus asked.

Clary raised both of her eyebrows, not because he had called her 'biscuit' because he had been doing so since the minute they were introduced, but because he was willing to leave Alec and drive her home.

"It's okay, Magnus. I'll walk."

"Nonsense." He said, getting up, "Jace wouldn't leave my ears alone if he hears that I let you walk home unprotected."

He kissed Isabelle on the cheek and winked at Alec and waved at Clary for her to follow him.

Clary looked at Magnus's way for what seemed like the hundredth time but again decided against it.

"Oh! For God's sake, ask me already." Magnus said, without removing his eyes from the road.

"What?"

"About Jace. It's too obvious that you want to flood me with questions about him." He said, as a matter-of-factly.

Clary blushed at being caught but asked anyway, "So how long have you known him?"

"Since middle school, well he was in middle school, I was a senior. I met him the year before his freshman year in the place we used to live in before."

"New York?"

Magnus looked at her briefly, "Brooklyn, to be specific."

"How did you meet? You guys seem to be very close."

"Well, he was a kid in dire need of a friend and I was, well me, in high school. Let's say we both needed each other. He helped me find my inner confidence and I was his best friend."

Clary leaned back in her seat, "I can't imagine Jace in dire need of a friend, I mean he is pretty much surrounded by admirers here and his face and his father combined, I don't see the relevance."

Magnus laughed a knowing laughter, "Sometimes things aren't exactly as they seem from outside. And Jace wasn't always like this." At Clary's glance he added, "Firstly he was a foot and a half shorter and a lot more skinny. I was a bit surprised at how filled out he looked here. Idris is doing him good."

Clary laughed at the mental picture of a shorter and skinnier Jace but with that same smirk, causing trouble all over the place.

Magnus smiled. After a while, as they pulled up near her house, he said, "I meant it, Clary. Idris is doing him good. I have a very sure guess that you are the main reason of it. He adores you and is so much relaxed around you. Just keep an open mind and know that he is a good guy who has gone through more shit than he deserved to. Just do me a favour and don't break his heart."

Magnus tilted his head toward her in acknowledgement and drove away, leaving her confused. What could've happened to Jace? He seemed perfectly okay. And towards what should she be receptive? Only one thing made sense in all of Magnus's words.

"Don't break his heart."

She wasn't going to, in fact, maybe, he would be the one breaking hers after she came clean. She knew that if he was heartbroken, she would be too. That realisation was scary and exhilarating.

Standing in the light of her front porch she knew something. She was going to tell him the truth the next time she sees him. It wouldn't do anyone any good to wait and she wanted no secrets between them because this was real and she wanted him more than anything in the world.

 **A.N: Thankyou for waiting for the update. I know it's short but hey, I wrote a Clace bathroom make out session! I was very uninspired and my health is bad and I am getting migraines if I look at the computer screen so I know that this wasn't good. I promise to do better next chapter.**

 **Anyway, tell me what you think. Should Clary reveal her secret this early or should she wait until she is more sure of where she stands? Where does Jace disappear sometimes? What do you think of Magnus? And his friendship with Jace and flirtationship with Alec? What do you think he meant when he spoke to Clary about Jace?**

 **See, so many questions, so you can't say that you didn't know what to review. Make me feel better by reviewing. Social work is good karma, guys!**

 **Love,Thea**

 **p.s. you can favourite and follow alongside reviewing. I love you all.**


	8. Falling in Deeper

**Hi, guys! People who have stuck with me when I went MIA thank you so much. I haven't been well and have exams but that's no excuse for not feeding you lovely people with chapters so here is an extra long one. Your reviews and favourites and follows are very much appreciated. They are the only things make me smile when I'm lying almost half dead from pain. So keep them coming!**

 _ **Jling**_ _ **: Thank you. I know Clary needs to fess up. Keep thank you again for sticking with me.**_

 _ **Padron'sGreenPeppers:**_ _ **Can I just say that I absolutely love your username. I don't know why but it gives me a good feeling. Migraines are a pain in the ass and I'm sorry that you get them too. They totally blindside you. And so are cramps, I feel like I have a hydraulic press on my stomach, ugh!**_

 _ **AFourAddict**_ _ **: If your username is stating that you are addicted to Four from Divergent, I'm right there with you. And thank you, I am much better now. I absolutely love reading reviews so writing is more fun because I get to talk to lovely people. Clary will tell Jace because it's a huge weight on her chest. Let's see what happens in this chapter and if she comes to a decision. I just want to build a foundation first because timing is everything. Hope you will be with me through the whole journey.**_

 **Enjoy the chapter…**

Two days later Clary was walking home after school, alone. Isabelle's mother had asked her to stay back home to greet some guest who was coming. Clary's father had gone to pick up books for the library and their car was with him. Clary had not seen Jace for two days and had been given a final warning from Kaelie. Apparently Kaelie had recorded their exchange where it was clear that Clary was dating Jace for money, and she had threatened to show that to Jace and ruin Clary's reputation if she didn't show results.

She sighed and adjusted the strap of her backpack and trained her eyes on her feet and slowed her pace, walking too fast would make her tired quicker. It was very hot and she felt very uncomfortable in the tight jeans and knee length boots she was wearing. The only silver lining in the whole situation was the fact that it was a Friday and the she looked forward to spending the weekend quietly in her room, leaving all the drama in her life outside. The sun was becoming unbearable, Clary stopped to take out water from her bag. The water was warm did nothing to give her relief. She poured some of the water over her head, not caring about make up or outfit or anything. She just needed the heat to lessen. She shook her head, droplets flying around her, and capped the bottle and put it back in, resuming her walk. She heard the engine of a car behind her and instinctually moved aside, giving it the room to go.

The car drew nearer and closer to Clary, she frowned and tried to look through the window but the sun made it impossible. The window rolled down and there was the boy who she had been missing for the last three days since he had received a phone call and left and made no contact since.

"Hey, DD, need some saving?" He smirked.

He was wearing a white t-shirt and probably jeans. His regular ensemble. He was looking fresh, quite opposite to her since she probably looked like she felt, that is, like a melted ice-cream and a baked potato all at once.

Seeing him made her head's temperature go a few more degrees up, without any pretext she took out her remaining water and dumped it over his head, his expensive looking car could go to hell!

He looked drenched and shocked and pissed. He ran his hand through his hair and shook out the water and killed the engine and stepped out. Now, Clary had acted impulsively and sitting down he wasn't so formidable but standing in front of her, towering over her and glaring at her intensely, he was scary. Clary contemplated making a run for it but then internally scoffed, he was going to catch her in a few seconds.

"That was not very nice, was it?"

He was standing too close and intensely staring at her. Her eyes flickered to his lips and he chose that exact moment to purse them. She looked back up at his eyes and moved a step back, he just moved a step forward.

"What should I do to you in revenge?" he said, in a low voice.

Clary just stupidly shook her head once, all her smart comebacks had gone away.

"Now that wouldn't be very fun, would it?" His eyes flitted to her lips which made instinctually made her tongue dart out and moisten them. He moved closer, as if going to kiss her. She closed her eyes in anticipation but the contact never came.

She opened her eyes and before she could even blink, she was suddenly six feet above the ground. Jace had thrown her over his shoulder and walked up to the passenger seat of his car and transferred her to a bridal style hold and then unceremoniously dumped her on the seat, clicked the belt and closed the door and walked around the front of the car and sat on the driver's seat and started driving.

Clary gathered her breath, the cold inside the car hitting her suddenly and making goose bumps erupt on her hands. She rubbed them and furiously turned to Jace.

"What are you doing?"

"Dropping you home, at least till the library, then you'd have guide me." He said, casually stealing a glance at her.

"Not now, moron! For the last two days and most part of today. I haven't heard from you or seen you at all. I saw Magnus once and he said that you had work, nothing else, just work."

"Yeah, I had work." Jace said, turning right at a corner and stopping the car in front of the library. He looked at Clary. "I got caught up and couldn't call you, I'm sorry."

He seemed sincere and something told Clary not to probe further. "Okay." She shrugged.

He sighed and put a hand on her knee. "I'm sorry, forgive me?" He gave her puppy dog eyes which she could not resist. She unlocked her seat belt and pulled him into a hug.

"I missed you." She said into his neck.

"I missed you too, you don't know how much. I just wasn't in a position to call or come see you." She felt him squeeze her harder and exhale on her neck.

She rubbed circles on his shoulder blade, "You can trust me with anything. I promise."

He pulled back and caressed her face, "Only if you do the same."

He looked at her searchingly. She felt defensive at once, it's not like he knows. But he was right, how could she ask him about his secrets when she wouldn't divulge a single of her own, not even the one that affected him.

"Hey, where did you go?" He lifted her chin slightly, bringing her back to the car.

"Nothing." She shook her head and forced a smile, "Do we have to go home, can you drive around for a while? I'd like to absorb the feeling of this posh car of yours." She winked.

He laughed, "As you wish, DD."

She had gotten used to the nickname of his, in fact that was quite effective in lightening the situation and taking attention away from Clary's inner turmoil.

They drove around for a while, stopping for ice-cream once, listened to music, sang along and had a blast. As the sun was going down, the air was cool. She told him to switch off the A.C and rolled down the window and closed her eyes and let the breeze hit her face and calm her down.

She opened her eyes once she felt the car stop. They were not in the town anymore, there was green all around, some sort of a field. She saw Jace getting down and opened her door too but he quickly came around and offered her a hand with a smirk pasted on his face.

She slipped her tongue at him but took the hand letting him pull her out and shut the door behind her.

Looking around, she saw that they were standing on a cliff of some sorts. There was a dilapidated church nearby and some sort of stone boulders were strewn across. She turned and saw that the sun was setting over in the horizon, lighting up the sky in hues of red and a soft glow was falling on them. She turned to Jace excitedly and saw him standing still with his eyes closed facing the sun. His hair caught the light breeze and the strands were tousled and waving. His left hand was limp at his side and he was clutching his hair lightly with his right hand on his head, keeping it away from his face. The sunlight was reflecting off of the angles on his face, making them sharper and softer at the same time. His stance was relaxed, his face was relaxed, save the light frown that his brows always seemed to have except when he was smiling at something. He looked approachable, but no one would dare approach him in fear of disturbing the serenity he possessed at that moment.

The golden hour had lit up the golden boy into a blazing fire which had the promise of creation rather than destruction.

The artist in Clary itched to capture the image in front of her on a canvas forever but she knew that she would never be able to find the exact shades or capture the beauty and the serenity in him or the way it made her, and any other on looker feel. Or maybe it was just she who was mesmerised by the sight and the calm that Jace never possessed.

Then, as if feeling her eyes on him, he spoke without opening his eyes. "I come here sometimes, to think." He slowly lowered his hand and opened his eyes but never looked at her. "There's no one here, usually. I found this place the first day I came here. No, not exactly first day here, it was first day at school. I was with Alec. He drove me to the ice cream place we stopped at and talked for a while and then he let me drive his car." He smiled at the memory and then turned to her. "It was amazing and fast. I almost hit it once but he let it go." He walked to her.

"You seem to be good friends with Alec." She observed.

"Yeah, he is a cool guy. A good person. He introduced me to the football team and kinda got me all the acquaintances that I have now." Jace said and moved to stand behind Clary and put his hands around her waist and rested his chin on top of hers and pulled her close. She put her own hands on top of his and leaned into him with a deep breath.

Both of them didn't speak for a while, they just softly swayed side to side and took in the beauty of nature around them. After a few minutes, Jace spoke again, "I saw the church from a bit further away and asked Alec about it. He said that people don't go there much and there were legends about ghosts and demons and all of that stuff. I knew immediately that I had to check it out."

"So someone tells you not to go somewhere and you decide to go to that exact place?"

"Well, he didn't tell me not to go.."

Clary tilted her head back to look up at him, "In so many words." Her neck was pulled taut because their hands were still on her waist and she was standing flush against him.

"Okay, smartass." He leaned his head down to peck her forehead.

She giggled and straightened and leaned back. "It sounded like a place to go if you wanted to be alone" he continued, "so I came here one evening and was really surprised because I expected an abandoned place not to look so majestic. It felt good, sitting here looking at the horizon. But I got the bigger surprise when I saw the sun rise. It was a new sort of beauty, I mean I'd seen sunrises before but here, it was more than just the sun rising."

Clary turned in his arms and placed her hands on his chest. He didn't seem to notice because he was looking out at the last rays of golden light. He looked different, pure. Lost in the memory of the sunrise. He suddenly noticed that she had turned to face him and smiled at her and pulled her closer. "You should see the sunrise sometime, it is quite something, almost like the sun is talking to the marble walls of the church and the enlivening the dead walls."

Clary smiled and raised both her eyebrows, "Wow, I didn't know you were into poetry. That was very William Wordsworth."

He frowned, "Ha ha, very funny."

She threw her head back laughing and released herself and walked a few steps back shaking with laughter. When she caught her breath she saw a mischievous glint in his eyes and at once understood what was going on in his mind. "No. No, don't you dare." She held her hands up and walked back but that didn't save her from the onslaught of tickling.

"Sto.. stop. No." She got out between bursts of laughter as he attacked her sides.

"So you are ticklish. Lets see who saves you now."

After a few minutes Clary was on the ground, laughing and smiling and out of breath. Jace stopped his tickle attack and held out a hand for her to stand up.

"Now I'm covered in dirt and grass." She said slapping her hands down on her legs.

"It suits you, now get up."

She pouted at him and then took his hand but instead of pulling herself up, she pulled him down. He fell on his hand and chest. His white t-shirt was covered in brown dirt and dead grass.

He sat on his legs and glared at her, "Oh, you are so going to regret this."

She stood up and started running around the car with him chasing her.

* * *

After a few minutes of chasing each other, throwing handfuls of dirt and grass at each other and losing their breath from laughing too much, they were sitting on the bonnet of Jace's car. It was turning dark but not pitch black.

"So, you brought me to your alone place."

"Hm."

"But now it's spoiled, I mean I can come here any time, it's not your alone place anymore. Alone places are for me times and should be secrets."

Jace looked her dead in the eyes, "I don't mind sharing my secrets with you." he said, in a low voice, like he wasn't sure if he should share that piece of information.

Clary suddenly felt her throat dry up. "Why? You've known me for only a month."

"I don't know. I just feel like I can trust you." He didn't stop looking at her, "Am I wrong? In trusting you?"

Even though his gaze didn't change Clary felt like he knew everything and was just challenging her to confess. She broke eyes contact and looked down at their joint fingers on the metal. "No." She shook her head and looked up again, clutching his hand tighter, "No, you're not. I trust you too." She said very softly.

Jace moved closer and pecked her on the lips softly, "I'm glad." He whispered into her mouth. He moved a few inches back and looked into her eyes searchingly, "I really like you. Really, really like you. Just please tell me if this is serious for you too because I don't want to go in deeper if it is not."

Clary's breath caught in her throat, she cupped his face with her free hand and pulled him in softly, trying to convey just how serious she was without saying the words. She couldn't utter that promise and ask him to fall further in before she explained everything because that can end badly for both of them. He seemed to get the message though, he left her hand and cupped her face with both hands and increased the pressure on her lips. She tried to convey her trust and faith through their wordless exchange and got the same message back. She felt confident that he will understand her circumstances and the decisions she made in the past. She felt confident that what they had, maybe was new, but was strong and it felt like they had been together forever. She was certain that if those stories about other halves and soulmates were true then she had found hers already and she was unendingly thankful for that and never wanted to lose the way she was feeling right then. She was feeling good while being true to herself. That was special and she was going to protect that feeling with everything she had.

* * *

Clary's weekend had been boring for the most part. Isabelle's house had been filled with unbearable and eccentric rich people who talked about stuff that went over everyone's head who was not like them. Isabelle had been made to sit through that and had ended up in Clary's house the next day and complained and gossiped non stop about those people. The story never seemed to end and Clary's ears were dying and she had thrown in the only thing she knew that would shut her up. But that had backfired and gotten her started on a new topic that Isabelle liked much more. Her and Jace. Isabelle had irritated her to the end of the year with all kinds of intrusive questions that had come to her mind most of which Clary had warded off with the statement that she didn't want to talk before things were more concrete. Which was absolutely true. Clary still had that bomb to drop and didn't know how the foundation would fare. Isabelle probably saw it in her face because she pulled her in for a hug and said that things were going to be alright.

It was the most dreaded day of the week. Monday.

Everybody was dragging themselves to classes, teachers and students alike. Clary had given two tests since the beginning of the day and was almost positive that she wasn't going to pass one of them. She had no class with her friends in the first half and had only one class with Isabelle in the second half. Lunch had been boring too because Alec had pulled Jace away to talk about something important and they hadn't returned for the whole time. Kaelie was sitting with them and Isabelle was entertaining her and Clary was tired of the bitchy conversations. That and the fact that she had brought nothing from the Wayland's was always dangled in front of her by Kaelie and that made her keep looking over her shoulder for any sign of Jace. She didn't want him to find out in a wrong way.

* * *

The end of the day was close and she had excused herself from her last class citing an important art project and was sitting in front of a canvas, with a pencil in hand. Suddenly she knew what she wanted to draw. After some time, the outline of an eye was seen. Only one eye. A very familiar eye. The challenge was getting the color right. Jace's eyes were golden but had different shades at different times depending on how he was feeling. She closed her eyes and tried to recall a perfect image for reference and at once she knew what she wanted to portray. Serenity and joy.

She got the colors out and mixed and mixed till she achieved the right shades. The art teacher knew her very well and had left her to paint in peace. The room was empty other than her and she lost herself in the painting and the memory. She had almost finished it, when she looked at the painting. It looked like his eyes but still didn't have that life in it. Maybe that was impossible to capture on paper. She liked the painting though. She left it to dry and was suddenly surprised by a hand on her shoulder and turned to find herself looking at a smaller but livelier version of her painting.

"Hey, it's way past last bell and you weren't at the parking lot. After a lot of searching, I found you here." He looked tired just like anyone after a hard day at school.

"I guess I didn't see the time." She kept the brushes on the easel and stood up.

"You didn't tell me you draw." He said looking at the canvas curiously.

"Didn't come up, I guess. Painting is my alone place." she said with a shrug.

"You are very good." He said "Wow, like really good. Like do it for a living good." He looked up at her with admiration in his eyes.

She blushed, "I'm okay. You should see some of the works of the artists."

"They've been doing it for years, I bet you'd be better than them when you grow up." He said, brushing a bit of hair which had come out of her pony tail away from her face.

"So, did you like it?" she asked, wanting his approval.

"The painting? I love it. Is it an eye? It doesn't look usual though." he said, again looking at it.

Clary realised that he didn't recognise the eye. "It is your eye, Jace."

Jace looked surprised, "Didn't notice. Wow, you've made a plain eye look very … special."

Clary was shocked that he didn't know how special his eyes were, with the way he acted she would've guessed that he would recognise it at once and then drag her for being mesmerised by his beauty.

"You have beautiful eyes, Jace."

He shrugged, "Thank you. Like I said, I never noticed. Nobody ever pointed them out." He looked at it again, "You sure are talented if you can make an eye look like that."

"Well, I draw as I see things."

He smiled at her, "I get my eyes from my mother."

Clary returned the smile, "You love her very much."

"I do, more than anything else in the world." His beautiful eyes were wistful at the mention of his mother. There was love but it was clouded by loss. Clary wondered why, as far as she knew his mother was alive. She again got that feeling which she got when Magnus talked to her, she felt that there was much more to Jace than he let on and showed others. She wanted to know everything but wouldn't push him to tell. She would have to earn his trust for him to tell her his deepest secrets and she was determined to win it.

She was broken out of her reverie by Jace taking her hand and tugging on it, "Come on, it's late."

Clary picked up her bag and once more looked back at the drying canvas before leaving. She realised that her painting could never look like the real ones because she didn't know the secrets and the memories that were always layered on the golden orbs giving them life.

 **That's it for now, I'll update on this Saturday-Sunday hopefully at night (Check IST for keeping up with my time zone.) I have exams this whole week so can't find time before, sorry. Thank you for all the love that you show me.**

 **Love, Thea.**

 **p.s: Did you enjoy all the Clace fluff? Sorry for the absence of others in this chapter, mostly Magnus. I missed him too, don't worry he shows in the next chapter. If I get enough reviews telling me to write it, I may sneak in a malec scene next chapter. Also a Jace/Alec bonding moment is coming up so don't go anywhere.**

 **Review. Favourite. Follow.**


	9. The Fish Escapes

**I'm back and very late. I know I am a very bad person and keep giving the fact that I'm sick as an excuse. I'm so sorry. I'll try to update more often and this extra long chapter is an apology that I hope you lovely people will accept. A big thank you to those who reviewed and favourited and followed. And to those who are still with me.**

 _ **CarissaCampbell**_ _ **: Guessing that you are a fan of Jamie C.B. I loved Jamily, they were cute. And thank you for the compliment, hope That I can live up to your expectations. Keep reading.**_

 _ **AFourAddict**_ _ **: I went through the same journey of loving Divergent and then falling in love with Jace. As a matter of fact I started this account as a Divergent fan but never wrote anything. Thank you for waiting for my updates. I saw that you reviewed on my other story as well, and don't worry, I will keep it Clace. But I won't be continuing that right now. I'll finish this first. Stay with me. Lots of love.**_

 _ **K(Guest)**_ _ **: I really hope that you will stick with this story till the end. Hope this chapter shakes some things up. I really love that you are connecting with the story and I know all about frustration at a character so I get you. Lots of Love.**_

 _ **Guest**_ _ **: I really wish you would give a name to yourself for me to separately identify you. I hate not being able to personally thank you and having to write just guest. Clary is just scared and procrastinating, haven't we all done that? Hope to read what you think about this chapter in a review(Hopefully with a name and the fact that you are who I'm talking to.)**_

 _ **Guest**_ _ **: Ah! Where's the fun in that? Read on and the same message for you, please give yourself a name and give me hint that this is you when you review again.**_

 _ **FirePheonix77**_ _ **: Ahh! You don't know how excited the fact that you remembered me after your vacation makes me. Love you so much. And I love writing and thank you for the compliment. Hope this update does your expectations justice. Looking forward to reading what you think about this.**_

 _ **gcgemz**_ _ **: I'm so glad you love this, continue reading and then tell me what you think about this chapter. Love you.**_

 _ **Padron'sGreenPeppers**_ _ **: I'm so glad that you love "Lost in Translation", a fun fact about that is that I had been wanting to read something like that for a while and when I didn't find a fanfiction with that concept, I just wrote it myself. Ha Ha! And I'm looking forward to reading what you think about this.**_

 _ **And a special message, I missed your review**_ _ **Jling**_ _ **. I love hearing from you. Hope you review this time.**_

 **Now, onto the chapter. Happy reading, everyone.**

"This is it!" Isabelle slammed the book shut and shoved it away.

"What?" Clary asked without looking up from the notes on the endocrine system that she was revising.

"Aren't you tired of studying? I know I am."

"You are perpetually tired of studying." Clary looked at Isabelle pointedly.

"Exactly!"

"We have mid-terms coming up, Izzy. It'll do you some good to study."

"I have been, more than ever. Come on! Entertain me." She pulled Clary's notebook away in spite of her protests.

Clary huffed and put her hands on her waist, "What do you want me to do, Your Highness?"

Isabelle got down from the bed and pulled her best friend down by the ankle which resulted in her landing on the ground with a thud.

"Ouch!" Clary stood up, rubbing her butt. "That was not a good idea."

"Yeah, but it jerked you awake. You don't even spend time with me nowadays, it's either books, canvas or Jace, or a combination of said three." Isabelle scowled at her.

"I'm so sorry, Izzy. You know mid terms are coming up and I destress by drawing and Jace, he's taken to sitting with me while I paint." Clary said.

"I wouldn't mind you spending time with him so much if you gave me details, so spill."

"There's nothing to say. We are very boring. I paint, he watches and reads. Sometimes we don't even say one word to each other." Clary shrugged.

"I don't believe you. How can Golden Boy be boring? I mean with a piece of art like that, I can think of many things to do, interesting things." Isabelle said, suggestively.

Clary glared at her and pulled her out of her room by her arm. "You want to have fun, we will have fun."

"Now you are talking." Isabelle said, smiling widely.

The corridor leading to the staircase to go to the hall in Isabelle's house was decorated with paintings which hung on the wall. Paintings by local and international painters. Isabelle's father had loved one of Clary's mother's pieces so right by the stairs, Jocelyn's painting hung which made Clary proud every time she saw it. Isabelle's room and Alec's room were on the same floor but on opposite sides of the stairs. Isabelle's side had only her room and Alec's side had a few guest rooms. There was another floor but that had the stair to the attic and a huge room which could be used to host dinners, dances, anything. The ground floor had their parents' and their little brother Max's room, the dining room, the drawing room. Every one's rooms had attached bathrooms. The place was posh and huge. The interior decoration had been done by decorators from Spain and was exotic. The personal touches were the paintings picked by the Lightwoods themselves.

Clary was dragged Isabelle to the room where they had the largest T.V of the house a.k.a the drawing room.

"Okay, we can watch a movie for a while but then go back to studying. You choose."

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Isabelle quickly saluted her and went to find something from their extensive collection.

Clary rolled her eyes and sat down on the reclining chair. Man! If that thing wasn't comfortable. She closed her eyes till Isabelle came up with something but was surprised hearing Alec speak. She didn't know he was home.

"Hey, Izzy, you watching a movie?"

Isabelle nodded, still scouring through piles of disks. Clary stood up from the chair and was pleasantly surprised to see Jace standing with Alec. His brows rose in surprise but surely it was pleasant if his smile was any indication.

"Hey."

"Hey. You came here right now?"

"Yeah, Alec picked me up from work."

Clary looked at said companion and saw that he was scowling at no one in particular but Clary got the idea that it was directed to her. She didn't know why but lately Alec seemed irritated to see her, she didn't know what she did. She directed her attention to her boyfriend who had walked up to her and was standing a lot closer.

"You work?"

"Yeah, sometimes. At home, with my father." He said taking her hand in his making her smile.

"I can't find anything!" Isabelle exclaimed, leaving all the disks messed up. She seemed miffed for a second but then her face lit up in excitement letting Clary know hat her mind was up to something mischievous.

"I know what we can do for fun!"

"What?" Clary asked.

"Jace, we have never seen the inside of the huge house that you live in, could we go for a tour?"

Jace looked taken aback. "I.. uh."

"Oh, come on, we won't be jealous of how rich you are. I mean, that huge house got to have some amazing stuff inside."

"It's pretty normal. There's nothing to see and my father doesn't like company."

"Oh, please." Isabelle pranced up to him and gave him puppy dog eyes, "We won't bother him."

"I don't know." Jace looked at Clary unsurely and ran his hand through his hair.

"Isabelle, can't you see that he doesn't want your curious ass in his house. Just let it go." Alec tried to come to his friend's rescue.

"Fine." Isabelle said, dejectedly. "If it weren't for his car I'd think he wasn't that rich at all."

"Izzy!" Clary reprimanded her friend's crass attitude.

"I mean that he wears only that same jeans and two t-shirts alternatively every day." At Clary's glare she tried to tone things down, "I mean he doesn't show off."

Clary looked at Jace and saw that he was frowning and looking at his feet. She squeezed his hand trying to diffuse the situation. Isabelle's words made her realise that even she had never seen any signs of the usual rich guys in him and she had dated many of them. She had never realised it before but they had hung out in the park, had picnics and gone to the abandoned church sometimes, but never to posh restaurants or any mall for shopping or anything. She loved his company so much that it didn't matter where they were. She tugged on his arm, "Hey, Izzy says the first thing that comes to her mind. You don't need to take us anywhere."

He looked at her for a while. "No, you know what, Isabelle is right. You should go to my house but you have to promise that you won't drool." He said with his signature smirk.

Isabelle jumped up in excitement and went to get something from her room but Clary knew that she was going to get dressed to impress. And she was right, Isabelle was dressed to impress. Jace called Magnus to say that they were coming.

* * *

Alec was driving, Isabelle was sitting beside Clary in the backseat. Jace was staring out of the windshield without saying a word. Clary saw Alec giving him concerned looks in the rear view mirror. They pulled up in front of a huge house, more like a manor. All of them got out of the car and was met by Magnus.

"Welcome, beautiful people. Well, Isabelle is the only one with a dressing sense I see." He hugged her.

"And, my little biscuit." He hugged her and Clary returned it with as much excitement.

"And Alexander." Magnus went in for a hug and Alec awkwardly patted his back.

"I really wish you wouldn't call me that. Sounds like some king bent on conquering the world."

"You are a king, bent on conquering my heart." Magnus said, with a wink. Alec looked shocked and Isabelle broke down in laughter.

"Come on, I'll show you around. Jace will probably be keeping his girlfriend company."

Clary blushed and looked down but didn't miss Alec's eye roll.

"I think she does need some knightly company," Jace put his arm around her shoulder and leant down, "don't you, DD?"

Clary hit him lightly on the chest and got a laugh in return.

If the outside looked majestic, the inside gave it a run for it's money. The place was very regal but very plain. There was a chandelier hanging in the hall. A wide staircase ran up and divided into two corridors with rooms placed out. It looked like the place had about twenty rooms. Behind the staircase there were the kitchen and the dining room. And at the corner there was another door which was closed.

"That's the way to the garden." Jace said to her when he saw her looking.

"This is beautiful." She said looking around.

Jace smirked.

"Could I see your room?" Clary asked.

"Why DD, can't wait to see where I sleep?" he said, suggestively.

Clary stuck her tongue out at him.

"Come on, people. Let's go to the entertainment room." Magnus said and took Isabelle's hand and pulled her up the stairs, signing the others to follow.

The stair case was polished and very white. Probably marble. She realised that Jace had all this to show off but he was still so grounded, it made her respect for him increase tenfold. They walked down the hallway to a room which was very big and looked like two usual rooms had been clubbed because it had two doors. It had a ping pong table, a dart board, a carrom board, a long couch and chairs strewn around in another side in front of a huge screen.

"What do you say, Alec, want to go for a hand of darts?" Magnus invited Alec and Isabelle joined too after appreciating the whole room. Clary was just hanging on to Jace's arm and watching them.

"Wanna go somewhere else?" Jace asked.

" Sure. If it's your room."

He laughed, "Not happening today, DD."

She pouted.

"Okay, guys, just don't break anything. And Magnus, take care of things." Jace said, looking at his friend and nodding.

He pulled Clary out and down the stairs to the garden. It was beautifully kept and prepped. There were roses of different colors and many plants with beautiful leaves. A bush like thing had numerous buds on them ready to bloom. In the evening sun they looked beautiful.

"Wow. It is beautiful." Clary walked up to the flowers and bent down to smell them.

"Jace! You're back!" An excited voice made her turn around. A little boy of about five was running up to Jace. He ran up to him and the tall boy picked him up.

"Yeah, buddy. I'm back early."

The little boy looked over to Clary as Jace walked up to her. He was wearing shorts ripped at edges and a t-shirt. He looked like a smaller version of Jace. As far as she knew he didn't have any siblings.

"Kit, this is Clary, a good friend of mine and Clary, this is Kit." He put the little boy down and he held up his hand in front of Clary who smiled and accepted his hand and Kit pulled her hand and kissed her knuckles making her giggle, "Why, Kit. It is very nice to meet you." She curtsied.

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss Clary."

Clary looked at Jace amused who just shrugged. "Well, I am Jace's friend and who are you, may I know?"

"I am Jace's brother."

She looked up at Jace, confused.

"He means he's like my brother. He is the housekeeper's son." Jace quickly said.

"Well, he is pretty much a mini- version of you."

"Spends too much time with me." Jace said, as an explanation. "Kit, go find your mother and tell her that guests are here."

"Oh, no. Jace, why bother the poor lady. We'll just leave in a while." Clary said.

"No, it's no bother, I want you to meet her. She's like a mother to me."

"Oh, okay. In that case, let's just go to where she lives."

Jace nodded and started to walk with hands in his pockets, he suddenly seemed very demure.

Clary shook it off and followed him with Kit hanging on her arm. "You are his girlfriend, aren't you?" She looked down at the boy, "How can you tell?"

"He's never taken anyone else, other than Magnus to meet Mom. Mom says that he only brought his best friend and one day he would bring his girlfriend. And I saw you two when you entered the garden, you kissed him after saying how beautiful this place is." He said very seriously.

It took everything in Clary not to burst out laughing. "Your mother is a very wise woman. You are quite the detective."

"That is what I want to be when I grow up. They are cool and don't need protecting. Jace always protects me and mom. I will protect them one day too."

Clary smiled at his words, the image of Jace as a protective older brother made her heart flutter.

They reached a one room cottage of some sort at the farthest end of the compound. Kit ran in first and Jace took Clary's hand and followed. The place was a complete contrast of the manor near it. The place was clean and had a kitchen set up at on corner of the room. There was a bed opposite it, stuck to the wall. There were shelves cut into the wall and clothes were neatly folded on them. The bottom shelf had containers. The same kind of shelves were above the kitchen. On the wall opposite the main door, was another door, presumably leading to the bathroom. The whole apartment was clean and homely. A woman was resting on the bed and Kit was shaking her awake.

"Kit, softly." Jace scolded and went to her himself and softly shook her awake and helped her sit up and rest on the pillows which he set up behind her.

"This, is Clary."

The woman smiled at her tiredly. "Come here, dear. I've heard a lot about you from my son."

Clary frowned, confused. "Told you the housekeeper is like a mother to me." Jace supplied.

The woman seemed to realise something and smiled. Clary walked up to her and sat at the corner of the bed. She took her hand and squeezed it lovingly. Clary could see why Jace loved the woman so much, she had a motherly vibe around her. "I am Mrs. H. Kit, go out and play."

"Okay mommy. Bye, Clary."

Clary waved at the little boy who ran out and saw Jace following him with his eyes for a while and the turning to them. She caught his eye and smiled. His returned smile was tight.

"You must be uncomfortable here. Jace, take her out to the house."

"No, no. That house is too much for me. This is better." Clary politely said.

"You don't have to lie to make me feel better, sweetie." The woman laughed. She was young, maybe her mother's age but seemed tired and sick. Maybe she was ill.

"Clary, if you want to join the others," Jace asked.

"I'm good here." She smiled and he nodded. "Then I'll go check on Kit." She nodded.

He left and the woman sagged further back into the pillows as if she was holding herself up in front of Jace.

"I am a bit sick, sorry."

"No, no, you should rest. I will come back later. It was lovely to meet you Mrs. H."

"Lovely to meet you too Clary. Jace is an amazing person. Give him a chance."

Clary smiled and nodded, covering her confused. "I know that. I love him."

The woman's eyes lit up at her words, "Make sure you let him know that. And don't let circumstances define him or decide the fate of your relationship."

Clary nodded, "I know about circumstances and it's pressure. It was really nice to meet you, hope you get better soon."

"I wish, dear. Come back sometimes."

Clary smiled and nodded and went out to see Jace and Kit laughing and fake fighting. Jace was pretending to get hurt from the little punches Kit was throwing and that delighted the little boy who was so glad to defeat the big brother. Clary stood there for a while just watching and pondering over the woman's words. She had realised that she loved Jace a while back but had never said it out loud afraid of the consequences but she now knew that it didn't matter whether she said it or not. It was true and if things ended badly it would still be true. Jace noticed her and came up with Kit running behind him.

"Hey."

"Hi." She smiled at him widely and was glad to see the usual smile back.

"Kit, go back to mom, it's getting dark."

The little boy pouted and ran back in after hugging Clary's legs very quickly. She laughed and looked at him go inside the house.

"So how did you like the place?" Jace asked, pulling her close, she hooked her arms behind his neck.

"The house is a bit too big but Kit and Mrs.H are very nice."

Jace laughed a surprised laughter, "Glad you liked them."

Clary looked in his amused eyes and pulled him down and kissed him. She broke off and without missing a beat blurted the words out, "I love you."

Jace looked surprised but quickly that turned to joy, he hugged her and whispered in her ear, "I Love you too. I love you so much."

Clary giggled and pulled back and kept attacking him with kisses. "We need to go back." He got out with a lot of hard work through her kisses. "Hm."

"No, seriously, we need to go."

Clary pulled his face towards her and rested her forehead on his. "Okay." Both of them were smiling like crazy and felt the love.

They walked in hand in hand and immediately felt the high wear off. The rest of the group was standing near the staircase and a very foreboding man was standing in front of them. Magnus was saying something and the others stood there straight faced. Jace walked up with her to them and the man looked at him.

"They are my friends, sir."

"That I gathered. May I know what are they doing in my house?"

"They wanted a tour." Jace had released her hand and was standing with his hands joint at the back and looking down at the man's feet. The whole stance suggested submission in front of power and was very disturbing to see in the context of a father and a son.

"Well, tours cost."

"I know, sir. I will see to that."

"You will." He walked away after looking Clary up and down. She almost shivered under his stern gaze.

After the man disappeared around the right corridor, Jace relaxed but didn't say anything or move. Magnus hustled them out and Clary was slowly following but before leaving she saw Jace still standing there, looking at the ground. She ran up to him and looked up at him concernedly. His gaze was empty, he seemed to be thinking about something. She place a hand on his cheek breaking him out of the trance. He looked at her blankly for a while and then squeezed her hand and said, "I'll see you on Monday." She nodded and was pulled into a tight hug by him. She returned the pressure and rubbed his back soothingly. She felt him sigh and kiss the side of her head. "Bye."

"Bye." She said and turned around and walked out without looking back.

* * *

Jace had been true to his words, Clary didn't see him after Saturday evening. Magnus had hung out with him on Sunday and had said that Jace was tied up with work. She was looking forward to lunch to see him, she only had fourth period to survive to reach lunch. The bell rang and sounded like angel's singing to her ears but before she could leave, the devil cornered her.

"What do you want, Kaelie?"

"You know what I want. What part of you won't enjoy my kill didn't you understand?"

Clary flinched and looked around at the crowd of students leaving the class, nobody seemed to be paying any attention to their conversation. "Look, could we not talk about this here?"

"No, I'm done talking about this to you. You either break up with him and let me do the job or else do the job yourself."

Clary sighed, "I haven't got the chance yet."

Kaelie looked at her suspiciously, "From what I've heard, Isabelle is doing a better job than you and she doesn't even have direct contact." At Clary's confused stare she clarified, "I know that Isabelle asked to see his house yesterday and got a very good look at the things there and from what she says, I think there is a lot of potential here."

"Isabelle told you that?" Clary asked, not believing that her best friend would do that.

"In so many words. I heard from the others about her weekends entertainment."

"Kaelie, I haven't gotten an opening and if I push too hard we can lose him." Clary tried to bluff.

Kaelie narrowed her eyes at her, "You mean _you_ would lose him." She put her hands on her waist and looked down at Clary, "Clary Morgenstern, are you actually falling for this guy? Because if you are, you aren't fit for the job anymore and I can't let this go just because of your puppy love."

Clary blanched, "What do you mean? I don't fall for rich kids, I remember how they treated me before I totally changed and I'm not letting it go easily." Clary said with as much conviction as possible.

Kaelie didn't look totally convinced so she continued, "I know what I'm into and I will not let this go."

Kaelie nodded and made her way out of the class with Clary following behind her.

* * *

Clary's mood was killed for the rest of the day and lunch wasn't as fun as she thought it would be. She saw Jace briefly before he was dragged away by Alec for something 'important'. Isabelle was in a shitty mood because of how much syllabus she had to cover before mid-terms because for once she would have to actually study. And Kaelie kept giving Clary weird looks as if she was contemplating something in her head which included Clary. All in all, the whole day was crap.

"Clary, I'm staying back, detention." Isabelle said with a pout.

"What, why?"

"Got caught skipping math."

Clary clicked her tongue. "That's too bad. I'll see if Jace can drop me home. I don't have the car and I'd been hoping to get a ride with you and Alec, I'm guessing he's staying back for you?"

Isabelle nodded with an apologetic expression. "I'm so sorry."

"For skipping class?"

"Nope, for getting caught." Isabelle winked making Clary laugh. "See ya."

Clary walked out to the parking lot to see if she could find Jace but didn't see him anywhere. She turned around and saw a lot of the boys from the team standing in a circle together and Sebastian stood in the centre with his arm around Jace's shoulder. Both of them were looking at a phone, presumable Sebastian's. Jace looked at it with a blank expression and Sebastian was looking at him with a weird look on his face, like he was waiting for Jace to explode into a fit. Alec was there too, standing by them with folded arms. He suddenly snatched the phone from Sebastian's hand and threw it at him and tried to pull Jace away from the gathering, his face irritated. Sebastian put his hands up in the universal sign of surrender and mouthed something at him. Jace forcibly freed his hand and walked out of the circle when his eyes found her. She smiled at him but he just shook his head with a hard look in his eyes and walked away. Clary frowned, confused. She walked over to the Alec and the others.

"Alec, what happened? Since you are waiting for Izzy I thought that I'd catch a ride with Jace but he just went off in spite of seeing me."

Alec looked past her for a while and then focused on her face with a look that made her feel about half an inch tall, "I think you are done taking anything from him."

Clary was completely confused but before she could say anything, Sebastian spoke, "I was sharing my experience with Jace just like a good friend does so that their friend doesn't make the same mistakes they did. I just did it with better evidence and let's just that you've been outed in front of everyone so that no one ever falls for your tricks again."

All the blood rushed out of Clary's face as Sebastian held up his phone with a video playing on it. On the screen it was Kaelie and herself in the washroom and she was telling Kaelie that she was going to date Jace for his money and share the goods with all of them. It was from when Kaelie told her that she could date Jace instead of her and the video had been filmed from outside the washroom. But the weird thing about the video was that from the bits of the conversation showed it seemed like Clary was the bad guy and Kaelie was totally innocent. The details didn't matter, her worst nightmare had come true in the worst way possible. Clary stood there blankly staring at the screen, her head reeling and her mind overridden with all the ways this would ruin her life. Not only Jace knew but also the whole football team knew and the whole school would know by the next day. Everything she had worked for, gone against her morals for would come crashing down. She was shaken awake when Alec gripped her upper arm and pulled her away from the laughing crowd to his car.

"Why would you do that, Clary? I never thought that you were capable of doing this."

Clary shook her head, "I didn't."

"They have a video. There is no way for you to deny it." Alec said, softly.

At the soft tone of Alec's voice, Clary almost started crying, "But all of that was not true. I was bluffing!" And she told him everything from the beginning to the end, about how she was done with bullies and then met Isabelle and then how they got into Kaelie's group and thought that they could have fun for a while but then soon got swept up into the vicious cycle.

"Isabelle does this too?" Alec looked dumbfound.

"Yeah, sometimes. Not for money or status, your parents have a lot of that but for your parents' attention. They tend to overlook her and pay more attention to you, be it in terms of time or gifts. She thought if she would serial date like that, your parent's would ask her something but when they didn't she gave up." Clary ended.

Alec looked like he didn't know what to say, after a while he sighed, "Come on, I'll take you home and come back for Izzy."

* * *

The journey was silent with a lot on both of their minds. When they reached her house, Clary got out and walked over to the driver's side. "Thank you. For driving me home and more importantly believing me."

"It's okay. You have to talk to Jace and tell him everything, he needs to know the truth."

Clary nodded, "Alec, can I ask you something?"

At his assent she continued, "Why have you been acting like you hate me for the last few weeks?'

Alec looked surprised at the question and conflicted for a while but then sighed, "I don't hate you. I was just jealous of you."

"Jealous? Of me?"

"Yes. Because you are all Jace sees in this whole town."

Now Clary was even more confused, "You were jealous because _Jace_ gives me more time?"

Alec just shook his head, "Just talk to him, he is really hurt." And he drove away.

Clary walked inside with her head hanging, she had to talk to Jace but should probably give him some time to cool off. He seemed very angry when he left. She didn't believe that Kaelie would record them like that and backstab and moreover why was Sebastian helping her? Clary huffed and shook herself, all those details didn't matter, she had to get Jace to understand and explain everything. She was almost positive that he would listen, he had to know that she had not been lying to him, she was not that good of an actor, she could not mimic love.

 **A.N : That was all for today. Jace found out! What do you think that he will do? What should he do? Tell me in the reviews.**

 **Review. Favourite. Follow.**


	10. Freeing the Fish

**A.N: Ah! Thank you so much for the reviews and favorites and follows. And for the ones which inspired me to write this, a special thank you. I'll remove the "Help!" chapter and add this but for everyone who saw it and reviewed whole freaking paragraphs of detailed plot, thank you, thank you so much. They made my day. As I said earlier, this is my rendition of things and are in sync with the larger picture but I did try to put in few things, like a Jace's POV ( Although tiny) at the end, Alec, Izzy and Clary, sorry no Magical Magnus in this chap but no worries, he will come in next chap. I will update quickly this time I hope.** ** _Jling _****I still miss you.**

 ** _msgoldeneyes : _****_Those answers will come, patience grasshopper. Thank you for wondering though, it makes me so happy! Not the fact that you are wondering and confused, I didn't mean that, I'm not sadistic, I promise! Huh! Anyway, You know what I meant. ILYSM._**

 ** _Sarjoo06_** ** _: Yes, I did write Lost in Translation, did you like it? It's very dear to me. I'm so honored that you devoted an hour of your precious time to me_** **. I hate it when Jace is upset too, but he is going to be for a while so sorry In advance? But you know me, I'm an angst junkie, I'll cry with you though, bring the tissues, I'll bring the ice-cream, chocolate with choco-chips? That's my favourite. Oh! And this chapter is what you wanted, kind of. Thank you for the PM.**

 ** _gcgemz_** ** _: Aw! I'm glad you liked it! Hope you like this one too. Awkward convo, checked. A bit awkward, a bit angry, makes a perfect messy break up for one dramatic story. Oops! Did I just SPOIL my own story?_**

 ** _sophieaquilina_** ** _: If you read the above replies you know that I can't not do that. A bit angsty, a bit fluffy, makes it perfect, don't you agree?_**

 ** _Guest_** ** _: Thank you for the ideas. You did inspire me to continue. Just the fact that you want to read this story makes me want to push through and continue._**

 ** _HerttaMatildaa_** ** _: That's a cool idea. I'll sneak it in somewhere. Keep reading. Thank you for sharing your idea with me._**

 ** _leashybum_** ** _: My, my! Have you? Are you telepathic? ILY_**

 ** _FirePheonix77_** ** _: Ah! Good to see you my old friend! Jace's POV, a tiny check (confidential reasons). I think you are onto me and after reading this chap you are going to figure some things out, maybe. Share them with me, okay? Looking forward._**

 ** _K:_** ** _Thank you for the long review. Read on to find out what happens. I don't know what they have gone through in the other stories you are reading right now, but I am a bit of an angst junkie. So stay with me and ride it out? Let me know what you think._**

 ** _FandomInANutshell_** ** _: I absolutely love your username and your 's so in sync with my own idea. We'd be best friends if we knew each other irl. I tried to incorporate it in this chap so tell me what you think. ILYSM_**

 **YOU GUYS! You show me so much love and support! I don't deserve you. I have been having weird breakdowns lately but you reviews, ideas, follows, favourites just push me to be better, to do better by you guys. I can't express my gratitude in words and hope that you'll stick with me.**

Clary closed her eyes, tired, and let the phone slip from her hand. She was laying flat on her bed with her head raised by a pillow. She massaged her temples with her left hand, her right hand again gripping the phone which was laying on her palm. She opened her eyes and looked at the clock on her bedside table, it was seven. She had been dialing Jace since the second she entered her house only taking a break to change her clothes and eat. She again dialed him but got the same response, voicemail. She could've left a message but she wanted to speak to him while he had the chance to reply to her, not on a recorded message. She had gathered the fact that it was not going to be easy after seeing him at school but she couldn't even get him to speak to her. Her mother wouldn't let her go see him and her dad wasn't home so no car. She sighed and called Isabelle.

"Hey, Clary, what's up? I got home a while ago, like an hour or more, I don't know. Mr. Starkweather's voice is still ringing in my ears so replace his voice with yours before I permanently go mad."

"Nice to hear a human response at last." Clary muttered.

"What? You are not making sense."

"I would, if you knew the whole story." Clary said and relayed all the incidents to her best friend.

After two minutes of silence Isabelle said, "So, you are saying that Jace thinks that you were playing him after Sebastian showed him and a ton of other people, including my brother, a video where you are pretty much saying that you are playing him?"

"That's a pretty good paraphrase, yes. Also I may have told Alec that we both used to do it." Clary added, suddenly feeling guilty about outing Isabelle before she was ready.

Isabelle brushed it away, "Pfft, that's cool. Alec didn't say anything so don't think about it. But what about Golden Boy?"

"I don't know, Iz. He isn't picking up my calls and trust me I've called plenty. He was pretty pissed off."

Isabelle probably picked up on the stress in Clary's voice, "Hey, it'll be fine. That boy loves you."

"I know, Iz and that's what makes it so much worse. I've not annoyed him or angered him, I've hurt him and that's not very easy to take back to make right."

Clary heard her sigh on the other side, "I don't know how to deal with this situation, Clare. Before, if things got messy, we'd just take ourselves out of the equation and this time we have to make things right without removing him from your life."

"I just wish that he would talk to me."

"Give him some time, maybe?"

"Yeah, it seems like I don't have a choice in that department." She heard her mom call her, "I go to go, my mom's calling me. I'll deal with things, you better talk to Alec before he goes to your parents because he seemed pretty pissed at them."

"Okay, just don't lose heart, It'll be fine."

Clary nodded, "Hm. Bye." She disconnected the call and saw that her phone battery was very low. It was her mother's old phone, she was to get a new one on graduating, which worked just fine with few glitches here and there. She plugged it in and went out to see what her mother wanted.

"Clary, I'm going grocery shopping, want to come along?" Her mother asked while rummaging through the cabinet where they kept there extra large shopping bags.

"Yeah, why not. I'm dressed. Let's go."

Jocelyn stood up, gave her daughter a once over and nodded, "Your dad's not home yet, so we have to walk and you might have to carry stuff back."

She shrugged, "No problem."

Jocelyn narrowed her eyes, "You sure there's no problem, because it seems to me like there is one."

Clary shook her head in negative. "I'm fine, Ma." She said asserting her response.

"Okay, then let's go."

Thirty five minutes into shopping Clary had stopped keeping track of her mother and started keeping eyes on the billing counter. She was not at all interested into looking for fresh vegetable and other mundane stuff. She was traipsing around an aisle which seemed very colourful and was looking at the stuff when suddenly she felt something collide into her from behind. She jerked, surprised, and turned around to see Kit smiling up at her.

"Clary!" The kid jumped up and down, seemingly excited to see her.

"Hi, Kit. You're here with your mother?" She asked looking around to spot the kind faced lady but saw no familiar face except a few kids she went to school with who worked there.

"No."

"What are you doing here alone? Are you lost?" She asked the little boy, taking one of his hands in hers.

He shook his head violently, "I saw you and ran to you."

Clary knelt in front of him, "It's good to see you too but you shouldn't have run like that, have you informed the person you are here with that you are coming after me, you know that they will worry." She said, kindly. The little boy just shook his head in negative, Clary sighed and stood up, still holding his hand and started to walk out of the aisle when Kit tugged on her hand and pointed behind her. Turning around she saw that Jace was running his hand through his hair and looking anxiously around.

"Jace." She had called him loudly from across the shop attracting a lot more than just his attention. She brushed the other eyes off and started walking towards him. After a second she saw on his face that he was about to walk away to avoid her, to prevent that, she picked Kit up so that he could see him from where he was standing. The relief upon seeing the kid was evident on his face. He met them halfway and as soon as Clary put Kit down, he picked him up.

"You'd have given me a heart attack, Kit. Why di you run away without saying where you were going? I was picking something out and I look down and you were not there." Jace reprimanded the boy firmly but his love was very apparent.

"I'm sorry. I saw Clary and just wanted to say 'Hi.' And I know what to do if I get lost for real I'll just go to the counter and ask to be returned to the most handsome brother in the shop." Kit said very seriously eliciting a surprised laughter out of Jace.

"Apology accepted, kiddo. Just don't do that again." He put the boy down but didn't let one of his hands go.

Clary had been silently standing there smiling at the two boys who were so alike in nature. "Hi, Jace."

The taller boy's eyes flicked to her face and immediately hardened. Clary's heart sank at the sight. After not getting a response for a minute, she just continued herself, "What happened today was not true, most of it at least."

"So you mean to say that they brought in body doubles and paid to film a two minute video in our school's bathroom just to show it to me to sabotage our relationship and defame you?" He asked with a strange inflection that took her justifications away. She looked down at her feet and then looked up with desperate eyes, desperate to make him stay just long enough for her to explain everything.

"Jace, just let me expla.."

She was interrupted by a irritated snort, "Explain what? You know what, this not the place to do this and I don't want Kit to be socialising with that type of people just yet, he'll have to face enough cons in his life for him to be starting so young." There was suppressed anger in the words and an intention to hurt her as badly as he had been hurt.

She looked down at Kit and found him confusedly looking up at the tense teenagers. She ruffled his hair affectionately but Jace pulled the child behind him as if to protect him. Clary withdrew her hand resignedly. "I get it, you're confused and hurt but I wish that you would listen to me over them."

"If it had been someone just saying things I'd never have given a damn about it but a video is undeniable proof. But, I would like an explanation as to why you do stuff like this because I've been thinking non stop about what is actually true, and if it is the video then I don't know how you impeccably fake this whole charming and real persona because I am a very good judge of people and I steer clear from gold diggers. I couldn't have missed tell-tale signs. But, I can't talk right now, I'll talk to you tomorrow at school."

Clary nodded, feeling hopeful. A chance to explain is all she needed. She was nearly completely sure that he would understand after he knew everything. "You know me, Jace. I never lied to you."

"Well, we'll see about that later. I have some place to be right now so, bye." He walked away without giving her a chance to say anything else, she had a lingering question but tomorrow would have to suffice.

As her mom and she was trudging out struggling with bags full of stuff that her mom had bought on a sale, a car pulled up dangerously close to her. She was about to give the driver a very dirty glare but raised her eyebrows hen her best friend peeked from inside.

"Wassup, Morgesterns?"

Clary gave Isabelle an "are you freaking drunk in the evening and in front of my mother!" glare.

"Nothing much, Isabelle. What have you been up to?"

"Just fun. Could I steal Clary for the night?" Isabelle gave her innocent puppy eyes.

"I don't know, Isabelle. She has to help me with the groceries."

"If we drop you with groceries home, could Clary come?"

"That can happen. All she's been doing is mope anyway, I don't know why."

"That's because Pretty Boy is pissed at her."

At this her mother turned to her and Clary decided to smack Isabelle once her hands were free. "You are dating a pretty boy and I am hearing about it now?"

"Nothing serious, Ma." She said in order to shut the topic down. She didn't know whether she was dating him or not at that very moment. "Let's just get in the car."

After dropping her mother home, Clary smacked the back of Isabelle's head, "What was that about in front of my mother? Are you drunk?"

"Drunk? No," Isabelle waved a hand in front of her nose causing Clary to smack it away. "Just a few sips to get a bit buzzed. Fought with the parents, stole their booze and Alec's car and went out. I was going to go alone but then I saw you and thought, why not? The more the merrier."

"What did you fight about, Izzy?" Clary asked, her voice soft and kind.

"They were angry at the truth being finally out, I was angry at the truth for existing at all and Alec got caught up in all of that."

Clary at once understood what it was that got her best friend, the collected Isabelle to act like that. She turned towards her, tucking her legs under her and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. Isabelle was drumming her fingers casually on the steering wheel and humming but at once stopped at Clary's hand and bit her lower lip. She didn't remove her eyes from the road, she pulled up in the parking of the club Pandemonium and killed the engine and unlocked her seatbelt. She turned to Clary, her eyes glossy and her lip quivering. Clary pulled the upset girl in a tight embrace who immediately broke down at the supportive comfort of her best friend's embrace. Clary hugged the shaking Isabelle tighter till her sobs died down to sniffles. Without pulling back, Isabelle said, "My mother even called me a slut. Said that she was ashamed of my slutty ways and my attention seeking. That I should be more like Alec who never asked for anything and tried best to make others comfortable. My dad tried to defend me but my mom shut him up too. Alec went to them about what you said and confronted them about ignoring me. He was just being my big brother like always. And it makes me sick that I am jealous of the only person in my family who actually wishes me good night and calls me to check up on me. But what can I do, Clary?" She pulled back and rubbed her nose roughly, "I'd thought that they'd be proud that their daughter demanded respect at school since they value their reputation so damn much. But no, I'll always be second. Hell! Third, they prefer nine year old Max more than me!" Isabelle said, defeatedly. She suddenly clutched Clary's shoulders tightly, "I love my brothers, Clary. I love them more than my own life but I'm tired to pretending to be someone else to stand up to their standards, I am tired of being looked down on just because of how I am."

Clary took her hands in hers and squeezed comfortingly. "I love you, Isabelle. Whoever you are. I love you for your confidence, your craziness, your dressing style, and all that you are. And I one day you decide to drop all this and change completely, I'll love you then. I'll love you, Alec will love you, Max loves you, Simon would probably do a handstand if you asked him to, and for him that's an impossible task." Isabelle laughed a surprised laughter which put Clary a bit at ease and lightened the tense environment. "There are people around you who love and admire you just for who you are. We will always be there for you, we'll probably kick your ass if you something wrong but then again help you to hide a dead body and run from the Law if it ever came down to that. You do not need your parents' or any one else's validation to be yourself. Now, I know that it is easier said than done and your heart will always crave their pride and validation even if your mind doesn't and you will get that too, once they come to their senses and see how amazing you are. And till that happens, you know that you have about five people to run to for tissues and ice cream or an impromptu party when you are feeling down." Clary said with as much love and resolution she could convey. Isabelle smiled and briefly hugged her again. Then she looked into the rear view mirror, "Crap, my mascara!" Both the girls laughed as Isabelle cleaned her face and reapplied her make-up. Then she got out and walked round to Clary's side and opened the door and held her hand out, "What did you say about an impromptu party?"

Clary shook her head and took the outstretched hand and got out and slammed the door, "Only you would get just that from all that I said." She teased her friend and then laughed and put her arm around her waist, "Let's go dance our feet off!" Both the girls walked up to the club with hands across each other's waists.

They'd gotten in after a bit of work from Isabelle on one of the bouncers. Inside Clary's head was thudding from the loud music and it felt like her heart was beating according to the bass.

"It's good that I have my own booze, we don't need fake I.D.s" Isabelle screamed in her ears "Let's go get drinks."

"You go, I'll be right here. And you're good with booze, even the smell makes me wanna throw up. I'll be good with coke or something." Isabelle squeezed Clary's cheeks affectionately, "I'll be right back."

Clary swatted her hands away and rubbed her cheeks as if they were hurting. Their two woman party was indeed very impromptu because Clary was wearing a normal half-sleeved , round necked , black T-shirt which said "I'm not your bitch!" in white block letters and skinny jeans. Her hair was gathered up on the top of her head. In an attempt to fit in a little, she opened her hair tie and shook her curls free. She was not wearing any makeup, just the mornings liner still remained and maybe the hint of a lipstick she wore to school. And her crazy hair probably made her look like she had just woken up, hungover. A perfect pathetic party look. She tried to tame her hair and contemplated tying half her hair up in a pony tail but went against it when Isabelle returned. She took a sip of her coke and watched as Isabelle poured a clear liquid from a flask into her coke and replace the flask under the waistband of the shorts she was wearing and pulled her loose top down to cover it. Her top had spaghetti straps and was off white. Her hair was half up in a bun and the rest was loose. Her make up was good, no one would suspect a break down just seconds before. Isabelle always looked like a model in any clothes and Clary actually had to put effort to look good, she decided in that moment that she was okay looking like she normally does because she didn't need to please strangers. Isabelle dressed up and put make-up on because she enjoyed it herself, for Clary it was a task. She realised that she wanted to look attractive to seek attention of boys but if she was to get serious with anyone, he would have to accept her for herself because there was no way that she was dressing up to impress him regularly, that wouldn't be a life, that would be a lie. She could actually attract good attention if she was completely herself because pulling someone in as somebody else would never give her an opportunity to actually be real and she didn't want that.

That epiphany put her heart at ease. High-school was for a few more months and then came real life, and no one gets through real life acting like somebody else. She'll never be Isabelle, so she had to be herself.

"What got you smiling, my creative friend? You look a bit loony to be honest, smiling at the crowd like you've seen an angel. I am the one buzzed and you are acting drunk."

"An epiphany, Izzy."

"I don't even know what that means. I'm just gonna let it go and dance. Come on." She gulped down her drink and make clary finish hers and abandoned the empty glasses and went to the dance floor and squeezed themselves in. They laughed and jumped around to beats for a while till a cute guy asked Isabelle for a dance and Clary gave her the due space and went to find a seat to rest her throbbing feet. She looked around, people watching. There was something about people and trying to figure out their stories. It was incredible to think that there was seven billion stories around the world at that moment and some overlapped each other at one point. Even if it is a bus ride to the station, so much going on, so many contexts, so many dynamics. So much unknown.

Clary was brought out of her reverie by a very familiar face blocking her line of sight. The light made the blonde locks look white, red, blue with the changing colors of the club light. The tense lines were gone off his face and he had his signature smirk on. Clary spotted Isabelle dancing away with some girls and that guys from before, so she stood up to walk across to another side of the dance floor where she had spotted Jace. Maybe she wouldn't have to wait till the next day to talk. She missed him. Maybe after they had hashed things out, they could dance together. Something told her that Jace was a good dancer.

She approached him, pushing through the crowd. He was sipping on something red and slowly bopping to the music and looking at something in front of him. Just as she was going to call him, a tall woman who looked older than them came and stood in front of him, twirling a drink with a glass straw and gave him a flirtatious smile which he returned with a smirk of his. She came really close and put her hand on his chest. She was immaculately dressed, a beautiful white dressed which had a very low back and a halter neck, a lot of her chest was exposed too and it was stripped cut in the ab area. Her bellybutton was visible and had a small sparkling white stone fixed on it. Her hair, straight as a pin, was open and covering a bit of her back. She was wearing heels but Jace still was taller. She took a sip of her drink and wound her hand around Jace's waist and lifted his button up shirt a bit and hooked her fingers on his belt hoops and pulled him closer. Jace just smirked and pulled her closer too with his hands on her bare waist. He was wearing a white button up with the sleeves rolled up. He looked the definition of hot and the woman seemed to be enjoying that very much. They started swaying to the slight bop in the music. Clary realised that she had been standing like a statue watching Jace grind up and dance with another woman. Tingles started to spread through her fingertips and not the good kind. She clenched her fists and bit her lower lip hard when Jace leaned in, whispered something in the woman's ear, making her laugh, and then started placing small kissed from her ears along her jaw to her blood red lips. Clary saw the woman subtly shiver and Jace smirk at the reaction. Clary knew very well how his kisses felt because it had been her that he was kissing just a few days ago. She saw as Jace pulled the beautiful girl even closer and she placed her head on his shoulder and they both swayed to the soft song that had got all the couples in a similar position and cleared out the messy crowd on the dance floor. Clary realised that she was in plain sight of Jace if he opened his eyes and looked up from the vey affectionate embrace that they were standing in. Clary turned around to see Isabelle looking side to side, presumably searching for her. She bit her lip and walked over to her friend.

"Clary! I was looking for you. Sorry I left you."

"It's okay. Can we leave, though? I'm not feeling good." Clary rubbed her arms as if trying to heat herself up.

"You cold? Okay we can go, I'll just.. wait, is that Jace?" Clary saw Isabelle looking at the woman and Jace dancing in an embrace.

"Yeah, Just lets go." She pulled on the tall raven haired girl's hand.

"Not till I give him a piece of my mind, preferably with my hands." Isabelle was completely fired up.

"No, Izzy. I messed up first. He has every right to move on."

"I thought that you said he wanted to talk?"

"Yeah, maybe just talk and know why. Anyway, I had just one question in this whole mess and I guess this answers it. I guess we're really over." Clary said, sadly with a shrug.

Isabelle looked at her with sad eyes, "What do ya say about the ice-cream? I could sleep over at your house? I don't want to go home anyway."

Clary nodded with a watery smile, "That would be perfect."

Clary was pulled away by Jace at lunch the next day at school in an empty classroom. She had foregone all her regular make-up and dresses and showed up as pure Clary Morgenstern in a t-shirt and jeans. Her hair was pulled up, away from her face, in a high pony and then twisted into a bun. There was no trace of makeup on her face, she looked just like she felt, tired. She had been looking forward to talking to him yesterday but since last night, she'd been not so excited anymore. In fact, in that moment, she was dreading speaking for so long and justifying her actions and launching into an even more tiring sob story.

"So, speak. You wanted to say something yesterday." Jace initiated.

Clary opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. All she could manage was an, "I'm sorry."

Jace looked at her curiously, "Just that? I'm sorry?"

Something in her clicked, she indignantly looked up at him, "That's all you deserve. Why should I even explain myself to you? I would've if there was a chance to save our relationship but if that's already over then what's the use of speaking so much?"

Jace looked taken aback at her outburst, "When did I break up with you? You were the one for whom this relationship was nothing but a transaction!"

"I never saw our relationship as a transaction! This is just something I got caught into when I was younger. My dad got thrown out of the army under a false accusation and I was the traitor's daughter for a while. Then my dad got cleared but never went back there and took a job in the library. That didn't pay well but it was something. The kids at school were mean and bullied me, first for being a traitor's daughter and then for being poor. I met Isabelle then and she was my only friend other than Simon. She is rich and was popular, we both got into Kaelie's company and that girl devised a plan to be popular. At first it was just a game and then an addiction. It was in this year when it got too tedious. I never gave in to the physical demands of the job so I didn't stick long. So when you came to this school, Kaelie tried to con you first but I liked you from the first day so when she offered me to be with you if I shared what I got with them, I agreed. What you saw was me agreeing to that. I wanted to be with you and that was the only way. If I wanted to con you, I would've asked you out, but it was the other way round, remember?" Clary realised that she had been speaking non-stop without breathing. She took in a deep breath and sat down heavily on a chair and held on to the desk. She looked up and saw Jace looking at her understandingly and with a bit of sympathy. A sudden anger overtook Clary on seeing his face, she abruptly stood up in his face and said in a low voice, "But any of that doesn't matter, why don't you go back to the beautiful blonde you were cosying up to yesterday?"

Jace frowned, "What girl?"

"The one you went to for company without telling your girlfriend that your relationship was over, Was I supposed to just figure that out on my own?"

"I never ended our relationship. I was confused, yes. Hurt, yes. But I never thought that we were over because I was hoping against hope that what I saw wasn't true and that the girl I love wasn't using me." Jace said.

"Oh! Right, then if we were still together, you must have been cheating on me or I must have been hallucinating." Clary said, sarcastically.

"You are not making any sense, Clary. I would never cheat on you." He tried to pull her closer, but she pulled away.

"Pandemonium. Last night. Blonde. White dress, ring a bell?"

Jace's eyes imperceptibly widened for a second but then he composed his features, "You were there?"

"Not very ideal for you, right? If your other girlfriend saw me then you'd be screwed from both sides. Thank god I didn't cause a scene. Did you start dating her first or me first, I'm trying to figure out if you were cheating on her or me." She asked, hurt palpable in her voice.

"I am not dating her." He said, defensively.

"Oh! So it was a random hook up. Yeah, she was very attractive, I'll give you that." Clary scoffed, her throat closing up dangerously, "I'll just go. It was nice knowing you, Jace." She tried to push her way out when he stopped her by grabbing her upper arm.

"Look, I'm not dating her and I was not cheating on you." He looked like he wanted to say more but couldn't.

"If we are together and you kiss another girl, you're cheating on me."

"Doesn't what I feel count for anything? I mean, actors kiss their colleagues on screen all the time without it being counted as cheating."

"That's staged, dumbass. I didn't see many cameras around for your performance."

He ran his other hand through his hair, "Look, just think of it that way. Like you just explained, to Kaelie and others you were dating me for money but you actually weren't."

She pulled her hand free and clapped sarcastically, "Wow! You are the most creative cheater on this planet."

"Clary, I wasn't and would never cheat on you." Jace said, slowly trying to make sure that she heard every syllable.

"No, you wouldn't. Because you can't cheat if there is no relationship in the first place."

"Clary.." Jace tried to grab her hand but she snatched them back.

"I never hurt you. I never lied to you. I lied to other people to be with you. Even Kaelie knew that it was real, hence the video. And what you were doing wasn't that."

"Just trust me, please. I trusted you and.."

"I never gave you a reason not to trust me!"

"And I did?"

Clary shook her head in frustration, "I saw what I saw Jace. If you claim it was anything different just explain clearly."

"I can't."

"Why can't you?"

"I just can't say anything. I won't. I'm saying that I wasn't cheating on you and that's all that I can say."

"Huh!" Clary crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Jace looked at her intensely, as if he was trying to say what he couldn't put into words but when Clary didn't budge, his resolve broke, "Look, I was just paying for something."

Clary laughed, "Of all the bizarre things you've said. If that was payment then it was very enjoyable for you. What did you buy? Her services? Sure your rich daddy gets you just about anything you want. A beautiful woman for the night, coming up." Clary imitated a waiter.

Jace looked hurt, "That's what you think of me?"

That doused Clary's rage, she realised that she may have over stepped but she was too stubborn to apologise.

"You think I pay women to sleep with them. That I do not respect anyone and just go about doing just about anything keeping money as a safety net?"

"Why wouldn't you? All the other assholes that I've dated did." Clary knew that she was making things worse but still continued.

"Oh! And may I remind you, that you were the one dating them for the money."

Ouch! That was a low blow but Clary knew the moment she had dragged money into the conversation things would get ugly, they always did. That didn't mean that it didn't hurt. In his defence Jace did look apologetic but she just huffed, "Oh! Then I better go, keep your money safe from me, Jace Wayland."

"If you are turning over a new leaf, you better get away from a money minded asshole like me."

"I guess I never really knew you." Clary spit, hurt.

"I guess no one ever really knows anyone." Jace said, every emotion wiped off, just a hard, snarky exterior left making him a stranger to her. An almost threatening stranger.

"We're over, Jace. Just so things are clear."

"Crystal."

 **J POV:**

Clary turned around and left the classroom, waiting for school to end so that she could think just how one of the most pure thing in her life turned so dirty.

As soon as Clary left, Jace sighed and felt all the strings holding him straight snap. He collapsed onto a chair and rested his head in his hands. How had things gone so bad? How was he ever going to fix this? Could he ever fix it? If he couldn't then he would surely go mad. He was supposed to let her in ad all he did was push her far away. He had every intention of telling her the truth but the video had scared him. Even her explanation scared him. He understood her point of view. Hell! There was probably no one else in this world who understood her predicament better than him but still that doubt once planted, just continues to grow. He couldn't bring himself to come clean about everything and last night was a part of it. Would she be able to take it? He didn't feel so sure right then.

He felt like the weight of the world was on him and it was, at least his world. He breathed in deeply, he would do what he was best at, thrive and help others thrive.

 **A.N: There it was! What did you think? Speculate away in the review box, you know I reply to every one of you even if the first whole page of my document is just replies. I love you guys so much.**

 **As you wait for the next chapter, would you be kind enough to check out my story "Lost in Translation" ? It's a one-shot, angst junkies like me, it's a treat for you. A lot of smiles and tears involved. It's about an alternate storyline on the CoLS "Valediction" chapter. I'd always loved that moment of clarity Jace had in CoLS and wrote about what would have happened if he actually escaped with Clary and surrendered to the Clave. A lot of Clace, Sizzy and Malec is there. A bit of my imagination and a bit of Cassie's plot. A lot of emotions. Give it a read, lovely people, if you have time and drop a review there to tell me what you think.**

 **Love, Thea.**

 **p.s: As always review. favourite. follow. if you want to.**


	11. New Territory

**A.N: New Chap. No replies today, sorry. Computer has betrayed me. Phone stayed by my side so uploaded the chapter. Typed on my phone so mistakes probable. Thank you for reading and reviewing and favoriting and following. I love every single one of you and am eternally grateful.** **A bit of a warning: Sensitive issues mentioned here, no disrespect towards anyone intended. Do skip this if you are very much disturbed by mention of you know, the disgusting thing that humans (I don't even want to call them humans) do sometimes that doesn't include mutual consent. I tried my best to warn you without writing the word here.**

The week before mid-terms had been intense for Clary for more than one reason. Studies was one of them, of course. She had been dangerously behind in all the subjects and had put all her attention on books and the syllabus to actually get good grades and to put her mind off the other problem. Jace.

From that day they hadn't spoken to each other even once. He was avoiding her or she was avoiding him, no one could tell. Things were way too awkward and their last conversation hadn't been pretty.

That was two of her three problems. The third was that the kids at school had again started with the whispers and name-calling. This time there few new phrases with 'poor girl', for example, 'gold digger' . Somehow that video had gone viral in her school and some people were very amused by it while some were disgusted. Anyway people had something to say, some comment which just made her wanna plug her ears.

Jace had received a lot of love, though. Played by the gold digger, people thought he deserved some sort of sympathy bonanza. And to top it off there were girls hanging near him all the damn time.

'The rich, golden boy was open to a princess to heal his broken heart'

No, they hadn't actually put that as their school paper headline but Clary wouldn't be surprised if they did.

All of that drama and no preparation for mid terms had left Clary's morale quite low. Isabelle had practically started living with her, she had a perfect excuse - mid terms. In reality, she was just avoiding her parents after their fall out. Only Alec knew about her whereabouts all the time.

Speaking of Alec, even he was some what pissed at Clary because after her fight with Jace, he had lessened interaction with Alec too. Alec was too much of a gentleman to show her his annoyance but she could sense it. A very unlikely friendship had cropped up in this messy situation, Alec and Magnus had started hanging out more. In fact Magnus had been an absolute sweet heart, he had been around more with his sparkly personality, trying to lift everyone's spirit.

Clary looked up from the detailed diagram of the T.S of a dicot leaf and stared at the wall in front of her, sighing. She massaged her head when someone knocked on her bedroom door.

"Knock, knock." Her mother's head peeked in. She opened the door and came over to Clary's bed and smoothed Clary's hair with one hand in an affectionate gesture.

"Here, coffee. Just like you like it. You've been working very hard." Jocelyn smiled.

Clary gladly took the cup and held it in both of her hands and took a sip and immediately stuck her tongue out.

"What? " Jocelyn asked, concerned.

"Too hot." Clary waved her hands in front of her mouth trying to cool her scalded tongue.

"Coffee is supposed to be mentioned otherwise." Her mum said.

Clary continued trying to apply air to her tongue and then slowly blew on her coffee and took another sip carefully.

"You know, Clary, I can sense that something is wrong. You are troubled due to can talk to me, you know." Jocelyn pushed her books aside and sat down in front of her.

"It's nothing, Ma." She said.

"It can't be nothing. If you don't want to talk to me, at least talk to someone who can help. I don't like seeing my baby girl sad." Jocelyn caressed her face.

Clary pushed her books aside and snuggled into her mother's lap. She laid a like a little puppy curling up and placed her head on her mother's folded leg. Jocelyn pulled her daughter closer and ran her hand through her hair, detangling the curled mess and comforting her. Clary closed her eyes, enjoying her mother's touch and the reprieve from her torturous thoughts.

"It's just boy problems." Clary decided to leave out the whole gold digging fiasco because she knew that her mother would be very hurt.

"The Pretty Boy?"

Clary laughed, "Yes. He is very pretty and very angry at the moment."

"Why?"

"I don't know why he's good looking, Ma, but I would guess a genetic recombination between two very good looking individuals." She cheekily looked at her mother.

Jocelyn glared at her daughter, "Okay, you've been studying too much Biology. And you know what meant. Stop trying to intelligently avoid questions."

Clary snickered, "Just some stuff. We got into an argument and things got ugly. I saw him with another girl and called him out while we were fighting about some stuff that I did. So we both said things we didn't mean and now he wouldn't talk to me."

"He cheated on you?"

"I don't know. He says he didn't. I saw him kissing another woman, but he says that it was some kind of a job, lile acting."

Jocelyn's eyes narrowed, "Do you believe him?"

Clary shrugged, "Maybe. He didn't seem like a cheater and our status was not very clear during the time I saw him so I don't know if it counts as cheating. And I did some stuff which he was very right to be angry for."

"What did you do?" Jocelyn probed.

"I hurt him. I'd rather not say more. But the thing is that things are bad, really bad. And I don't know what to do." She sat up and faced her mother.

"Kissing another girl without clearly breaking up, counts as cheating. And whatever you did to hurt him, cheating is not an answer to save the day." Jocelyn said. She stopped suddenly and looked into her daughter's eyes, "Do you love him?"

Clary shrugged and looked away. Her mother couldn't know the exact extent of how she felt for Jace because that would bring up a 'why' and that 'why' included her experiences of the past few years. Her mother still seemed to understand her answer and pulled her chin towards her.

"This is not the end of the world, you know. If he loves you too, he'll talk to you. If he doesn't then you better move on because he doesn't deserve your love. And if this is real, then you will be able to work things out. And, Clary, never let yourself down in fear of letting other's down. You are a beautiful young girl and there is so much life ahead of you. If this ugliness between you is bothering you, get him to talk and apologise if you feel that you were wrong, but never apologise for being right." Jocelyn kissed her forehead, "Now, read a bit more and then come out, dinner will be ready. You'll love it." She smiled and went out, leaving Clary staring at the book but her mother's words in her mind.

Clary stood in front of her locker, getting a new pen for writing her exam. They had two exams in one day with a few minutes break. That week was for exams only, no normal classes. There was a chaos, students were running to teachers, getting last minute explanations and revising their study materials. But even among them, there were people who were a bit too well prepared for the exam so they had time for pettiness.

"Why study Clary? You're going to live off your rich husband anyway!" A girl said, laughing with her friends.

The hairs on Clary's neck rose. She had not expected this during exams. And she had heard stuff like this all over the week but you just never get used to insults.

"No, Kaitlyn. She needs to get a rich husband to live off and she dosen't put out or look pretty so that is unlikely." One of her friends retorted. Kaitlyn burst into laughter like she's heard the joke of the century.

Clary slammed her locker door and turned around to find the girls right in her face.

"You know, Sluty Clary, without Isabelle Lightwood by your side, you are nothing. You think we shut up that is why we don't remember what you were like?"

"Other's fame don't make you famous, just like living with money doesn't make you rich."

"I don't even get how she did go about that, she is a midget and not very pretty also. And without her outfits and precise make up, she looks like a baby, an ugly baby."

Clary clenched her fists in order to not say something because replying just worsens things and she had a lot of experience with these people. "Just let me go. I have an exam."

"Why do you need to write an exam if you have decided your career already. You want to be a gold-digger don't you?"

The girls started laughing in unison and that attracted attention. Their voices sounded too loud in her ears and her eyes started burning. She tried to clamp down on her tears.

"Easy, girls." A familiar voice said and a much taller body slid in between her and the girls, softly pushing her behind him.

"Jace!" Kaitlyn's voice turned breathy at once. Gone was the harsh bully.

"How are things going, girls? Prepared for your exams?" Jace asked with his signature smirk.

"Kind of." Kaitlyn said.

"So, what are you doing here?" Jace asked, his voice light but Clary could hear the underlying tension.

Kaitlyn looked at her, "Wow, Clary. Just look at the guy you played. He is so kind that he is protecting the girl who tried to con him."

"Protect her?" Jace's voice held a tinge of surprise, he turned around and looked at her. Clary looked up at his face. She missed him very much, mostly she missed the way his eyes lit up when he saw her. "Why will I protect _her_? She has her speciality already, she doesn't need to study. I was trying to see to your well being. If you don't revise, you won't get the grades you deserve. Come on, I'll study with you." Jace encirled Kaitlyn's shoulder with his arm and went with them, not even sparing her a glance. Her eyes filled with tears and she hastily rubbed them away just as the bell rang.

"Hey, Clary! Wait up!"

She turned around to see Isabelle running to catch up with her.

"Finally found you. So, how was your test?"

"Good. A few answers I am not sure about but they don't matter. Overall it was fine." Clary answered, with a small smile.

Isabelle rubbed the back of her neck, "Man! My neck is stuck. I've been studying too much, I can't wait to let loose."

Clary chuckled, "Yeah, Izzy, I know how much you've been studying. If it wasn't for me bribing you with shopping promises, you wouldn't have sat with your books."

"That's why I love you. And we are going to go shopping, it wasn't empty promises I hope."

Clary shook her head laughing, deciding at once that no more shopping was happening. She had decided to be more herself. She was going to say something else but then stopped when she saw Jace and Alec talking.

"Hey brother! Thanks for waiting." Isabelle called out drawing the attention of both of the boys.

Jace's eyes brushed over Isabelle to Clary. He quickly said something to Alec and slapped his back lightly and walked away. Clary sighed and walked over to Alec. "Isabelle, are you riding with Alec?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, then. I have the car today so I'll just drive home."

"Okay, bye." Isabelle hugged her lightly, "Text me when you're home ?"

Clary nodded and went on to the parking lot and got into her car, throwing her bag in the passenger seat. She turned the engine on and backed out of the school and started on her way home.

On the first red light, she looked out of the window and was surprised to see Jace. She contemplated speaking to him but decided against. When the light turned green, she saw Jace drive away and on a whim decided to follow him.

She frowned when he didn't go on the way to his home. She kept a bit distance and followed him for quite a while.

"Where the hell is he going?" she muttered to herself. He was driving along the road that took them to the outskirts of the main town. He stopped at a garage and got out of the car. He was met by a burly man who slapped him on the back like a father would do to his son. He smiled and said something and then handed over the keys of his car to the man. Then walked into the garage. Clary was completely confused as to why Jace would walk into the garage and was even more so when he came out in overalls. She decided to wait it out and then get some answers.

Clary suddenly jerked awake. She yawned and sat up and winced from a kink in her neck. She realised where she was still in her car and the sun had gone down. She looked at the garage and saw some people still working but no sign of Jace.

Looking at her watch her eyes widened, "By the Angel, how long was I asleep for?" Her phone also showed that it was eight in the evening and she had a dozen texts from her mom and Isabelle, Simon even one from Alec and Magnus asking if she was okay and where she was. She replied to her mom and Isabelle, when another text pinged in.

 _You ok? Why aren't you home?_

 _\- Jace_

Her heart leaped. She was elated that he was worried about her, maybe Isabelle called him to ask if she was with him, but she couldn't exactly tell him that she fell asleep spying on him. So she didn't reply, instead she started the car and drove out of the alley she was hiding in. While passing the nearest bus stand she saw Jace standing with his bag slung on one shoulder and checking his phone with a frown. She pulled up near it and got out.

"Jace!"

His head snapped towards her and relief was instant on his face. He walked up to her.

"What are you doing here? You've got people worried sick!" He yelled.

"Where you one of them?" she asked, unabashedly.

His face softened, "What do you think?"

Her eyes searched his. "You have grease on your face." She reached up to touch his face but he averted her hand.

"What were you doing here alone, anyway?"

"I..uh!" she bit her lip, "What are you doing here?"

He looked flustered for a while and then sighed, "Let's just get out of here. Go, get into your car."

She raised her brows, "You want to come with me?"

"I'm not letting you drive back all the way home alone. You've put yourself in enough danger for one day." He walked to the driver's side of the car and held his hand out for the keys.

"I can drive."

He cocked a brow, "I know you hate driving."

Clary narrowed her eyes in disapproval but gave him the keys anyway. She git into the passenger side, throwing the bag to the back seat.

"So, will you answer me now? What were you doing in the garage in coveralls?" She asked.

They had been driving for about thirty minutes in silence. Jace looked at her curiously, "How do you know that?"

"I may or may not have been following you." She admitted guiltily.

"That explains what you were doing out of town alone after school. You followed me here, seriously?"

"It was a lapse in judgement, anyway, what's done is done, tell me what you were doing."

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair, while drumming his fingers on the wheel nervously, "I work there."

"You, work?" She asked, surprised, "For what? Fun?"

"Yes, Clary. My version of fun is to get to a garage after school and get grease on me and work on cars and get my hand freaking injured!" He said, sarcastically and held his right hand up where she saw a cloth was tied around three of his fingers. She was too focused on his face before to notice the crude bandage.

"What happened?" She reached for his hand but was pushed back.

"It's nothing. I'll fix it later."

"You can't just fix it. You've got to let it heal."

"Yeah, that's not going to happen because healing takes time and I've got a dearth of that."

Clary was becoming more confused by the second. "I don't understand, school isn't that time consuming. And why do you work? It's not like you're saving up for college? Has your father disowned you?"

Jace sighed and turned the car left and came to a stop. "I work for money, just like every single person."

Clary frowned, "And ?"

"I got responsibilities on me, I need to keep two people alive and living in a almost fine condition, which takes money."

Clary's head was reeling, "You are not making any sense." Then something dawned on her, "Wait, is this about Kit and Mrs. H ? Does your father not pay them enough that is why you work to give them the money?"

Jace closed his eyes for a moment and rubbed his temples, he sighed and opened his eyes. "Can we not do this here. I'll tell you what you want to know, but not in this car on the side of the road with other's honking at us."

Clary got the feeling that it was better to agree with what he said so she nodded. She had a sinking feeling in her gut, what he was about to disclose was not going to be pretty. She had to keep an open mind and say the right things otherwise she knew how quickly he pulled away.

Jace pulled up in front of her house, surprising her.

"How did you know where to go?"

"Isabelle gave me directions a while ago, I'm good with navigation." He shrugged.

When Clary didn't move, he asked "You plan to sit here till tomorrow ?"

"But you said.."

"I have no problem in meeting your parents if you don't. "

Clary hesitated for a moment and then nodded and got out of the car. Both of them walked up to their house. Jocelyn opened the door and immediately pulled her daughter into hug and then pushed her away and pulled her into the house by her hand.

"Ouch! Mom, you're going to pull my hand out!" Clary finally freed her hand and rubbed her shoulder, wincing.

"And someone could've kidnapped you! You didn't tell anyone and stayed out for four hours after school!"

"I'm sorry. And could I get a glass of water ? And I'd appreciate a bit less yelling, Jace has yelled at me enough." Clary went and plopped down on the couch. "Oh! And while yelling at me, you missed Jace standing here."

Jocelyn handed her the water, "Oh! So you are Jace. Isabelle was convinced that she was with you."

"I am Jace, Mam. And she was not with me, I ran into her and accompanied her home. "

"Thank you for coming with her. I appreciate it." Jocelyn said that with a finality in her voice. Jace seemed to take the hint and turned to go but Clary took his hand.

"Mom, would it be okay if he stayed for a while? I have some stuff to revise for the next exam, he's good at it." She lied smoothly.

Jocelyn raised an eyebrow, "Okay, if you say so."

"Thank you, Mom." Clary smiled. Jocelyn gave her a nod as if to say 'I trust you.' and went back to her work.

"Come on." Clary asked him to follow her.

She entered her room and kept her bag on the bed. She turned to Jace and found him looking at the ground, smirking.

"What ?" She followed his line of gaze and flushed, she rushed to the cupboard and stuck her black lacey push-up bra all the way in. "Sit."

"On the bed ?" he asked suggestively.

"No one the floor." She said seriously. He looked confused for a moment, searching for the sarcasm but probably found none so he tried to sit on the floor Indian style with his long legs bent out awkwardly which made her chuckle.

"Get up, goofball, I was kidding." She offered him a hand which he took and pulled himself up.

"You called me a goofball? Seriously?" he feigned offence.

"Yeah, you are a goofball. " She ruffled his hair, revelling in it's softness.

"Hey!" He swatted her hand away and then winced, realising that he had used his bad hand.

"We have to do something about that."

"No, it's fine."

"It's not, and it's going to get worse until you get it looked at. And you have to tell me what happened, I won't know what to apply otherwise." Clary sat in front of him and took his hand and started to unwrap the white cloth when he didn't protest. She saw his skin and winced. The first three fingers were red, welted. And his palm had light burns.

"What the hell did you do to your hand? This is nothing ? You are not going to move an inch while I bring the first aid box." she ordered him and went out to fetch it from her parent's room.

Her mother had earphones plugged in and was painting away. She quickly opened the closet and got the box out and went back to her room. Jace hadn't moved like she had said. She sat down with a bowl of ice water and took his hand in her lap, dabbing the burns with cotton dipped in ice water, cleaning the threads of the cloth that stuck to the wound. She got some burn cream and slowly applied it to the worst parts, blowing on it to lessen the pain.

"That's the best that I can do. Apply ice to redness, it should go down, and keep it open. Do you have this ointment at home ?" Jace was staring at her, "Jace, do you have this at home ?" She held up the tube.

He seemed to be shaken out of whatever world he was lost in, "Yeah, maybe."

"If you don't, get it. The burns should heal in a few days but you have to apply this daily."

He nodded.

She looked at him curiously, "What are you thinking ?"

"Nothing, it's just you were so attentively fixing my hand, it reminded me of my mom, when she used to bind my wounds like that. I was young, maybe about six or seven, I was very uncoordinated, I tripped and scraped my knees, she did the same things then." He smiled softly.

Clary's hand rose, as if on it's own, and caressed the side of his face, she leaned up and softly kissed his forehead. She found him looking intensely into her eyes, searching for something. Maybe a sign. She leaned back in and pressed her closed lips softly on his for a few seconds and then left the room with all the medical supplies she had brought.

Jace sat alone, looking at the faded orange wall of Clary's room. The room looked old, with use and love. He looked around seeing a dresser which had a little make-up stuff and hair ties. Her bedside table had notebooks stacked on them and a chair in her room, near her clothes cupboard had loads of books on them. One of the walls had a window, which was partly open but curtained, and beside that a hanging bookshelf which had loads of drawing notebooks and a few storybooks. The room was plain but personal. Jace looked at his injured hand. It was white in some patches because of the ointment and red in other. He had been a fool to touch the heated engine and now he would have to grit his teeth through the next few days till his hand completely healed. It was going to scar, he was sure, but what was a few more scars for him. The burnt patches were itching and burning but he ignored it, waiting for Clary to return from wherever she went a few minutes ago.

He had been surprised by Clary many times that evening, when she suddenly turned up at work with innumerable questions, then when she actually agreed to letting him meet her mother. Taking care of his hand with the adroitness of a nurse and the care of a mother, but most of all, when she actually kissed him, twice. All of them were very pleasant surprises, of course. Wherever she was involved and at peace, it could be nothing but pleasant for him. But he was stuck in a dilemma. He couldn't decide on whether to let her in and be completely honest or be evasive.

He had decided on their first date that he would let her in slowly. He felt that she could take it, that they could take it, but after learning about her past, he couldn't decide.

After mulling over it for a while, he just decided to go for it. They were already over and Clary wouldn't be harmful. Even if they never got back together, even if telling her the truth wiped out there chances of being together, he had to tell her because someday, if he stayed in her life, she was going to know. And he didn't plan on letting her go so easily, if nothing else he would content himself with just being her friend because having her in his life in any form was better than going back to what it was like before.

Clary splashed her face with more water. She had been just standing at the sink in the kitchen for the last ten minutes, occasionally splashing her face with cold water.

"He is the one, isn't he ?"

She turned to look at her mother, questioningly. "How did you ?"

"What gave it away ? Well, other than the 'pretty' part, it was how you were acting around him. And did you think I missed the bandage on his hand and then you sneaking in and getting the first-aid box? Other then that, I am a mom, you just get a sixth sense."

Clary sighed, there was no use denying, she had been outed to her mother. She opened her mouth to defend her actions but was interrupted by Jocelyn.

"Wait, I told you that I trust you and I meant it. You sort out your issues like the intelligent and responsible girl I know you are. And he was willing to accompany you home safely, only a good hearted person who cares for you will do that, so I hope that things work out for you." Jocelyn kissed her daughter's forehead. Clary smiled and turned to go back to her room.

"Oh! And Clary, your father is voming home late today so if Jace wants, he can stay for dinner."

She nodded and went to her room. Jace was sitting there, fidgeting with his t-shirts edge. "Um, my mother is asking if you'd like to stay for dinner."

He looked up at her, confused at the sudden offer. "I..uh."

"My dad's not coming home until later, so." She quickly supplied.

"Yeah, I guess. I have no problem. I'll just text home."

"Ok." She went near the bedpost and stood, leaning on it.

"Clary, I have to tell you something." Jace suddenly said, after a few minutes of awkward silence. "And it might change how you think of me."

Clary knew that those words could never go somewhere good but she was eager for answers so she nodded, tightly. Jace seemed nervous and kept running his hand through his hair and looking at everything but her face.

"I.. uh. I don't know how to start." He finally met her eyes.

"The beginning would be a nice place." She tried to lighten the mood but that didn't work because he went back to observing her room for a while and then blurted out the one thing she never even imagined he would say.

"I am not a Wayland. I am not Wayland's son. I am a Herondale."

She let it sink in for a while, probably making Jace even more nervous because he stole glances at her face, trying to read her, before giving up and just staring at his hands.

She finally found her voice, "Wait, what ? You are not Jace Wayland ?"

"I am for all school business but not really, no."

"I'd like further elaboration, please."

"I advise you to sit down because this is going to take time."

Clary thought it was prudent to take his advise because she had a feeling that she was about to be flattened by some world changing information.

"I am not Wayland's son in any way. Not biologically, nothing. My mother is Celine Herondale and my father was Stephen Herondale. " he paused, "the house keeper of the Wayland Manor is my mom and Kit is my brother, biologically

half-brother, we have the same mum."

"That is why Kit kept calling you his brother and Mrs. H is Mrs. Herondale ?"

He nodded, "Precisely."

She had never seen him so conflicted and pained, as if divulging his secrets was physically straining him. She almost asked him to stop but he spoke again.

"My father was a worker in Wayland's firm, a mere worker who caught his eye and grew in position very quickly. We used to live in New York, Brooklyn. It was me, dad and mum. We were happy and getting financially more stable day by day. I was a kid, about 10 when things started to go wrong."

His eyes were fixed on the ground, "My mother was raped, I didn't know about which until later, and my father was killed. All because of Wayland and his shady business." His voice held a deep hatred which he must have been masking before. "We were suddenly out on the streets in a few months span and I didn't understand anything happening to us but knew better than irritating my mother who was trying her best. Things changed when she found she was pregnant, she kept the baby, of course. We had no food or shelter and I was going to have a baby brother. That's when she went to Wayland again, in spite of what he had done to her and us, he gave her a job."

He suddenly looked up, intensely at her, and she saw that his eyes were shining with something she hadn't seen before. He took both her hands in his own, forgetting about his wound, "Clary, you have to understand that what my mother did was to save me and Kit. She loves us to the end and we do the same. I'd do anything for her and my brother." He said with conviction.

Clary didn't know how to respond to this situation and to what he had just said. So she did the only thing she could. She slowly took her hands out of his grip and fixed his wounded hand slightly and then pulled him into a tight hug.

He continued speaking, never returning the hug. "My mother used to do clerical work at the firm till Kit was born. I dropped out of school for a while and stayed at home and looked after the baby. It was rough but then things started sorting themselves out with Mom working two jobs and me going back to school. I was in middle school when the bullying started. Word got out of our situation and people called my mother unspeakable things. I was a chubby kid, right before I gre taller, so I was made fun of too. Kids said mean stuff to me, like I was going to eat all the food in my poor home and make my brother starve, that I hated my baby brother. That got to me. I started fights, I hated school but never said anything to Mom because she was stressed enough."

Clary couldn't believe what he had gone through. Tears sprang to her eyes and she scrubbed them away, pulling back and looking at him. His eyes were clouded with dark memories. Her skin was crawling thinking of horrible things this beautiful boy had endured but not turned bad himself. How many scars did he hide ?

"You don't have to say more, Jace." She whispered.

"I want to." He whispered back, "I need to say this to you. I need you to know exactly who I am. I don't want to hide from you anymore."

She nodded. He cupped the back of her head and kissed her forehead, letting his lips linger, making her close her eyes and breathe him in.

"It was then I met Magnus. He was a senior kid. You know Magnus, back then he was just as flambyoyant as he is now, just a bit less confident. He was pushed around a lot too. We quickly became very good friends. He was a hit with little Kit who was a year or two old. He kept me sane for the rest of middle school and the first two years of high school. Then Wayland got sick and decided to move here. He offered my mother the job as a house keeper and she took it and we moved with him. I was surprised when he asked me to go to school as his kid, so that he could keep a clean image. He offered to raise my mother's pay if I did that. So we came here, I became Jace Wayland, the rich guy and hid my true identity as well as my family." Jace finished. "I work in the garage for money for my family. Kit needs to start school soon and I am not letting my brother's future go to waste." he said.

"Alec saw me before in the garage. His car had broken down and I had fixed it. So when he saw me at school, he cornered me so I had to tell him the truth, most of it, at least." Jace looked at her intently, "Clary, you were never in the equation. I was not supposed to have friends close enough to want to go to my house, it was dangerous. That is why when Wayland saw us at the house he was angry. I was just going to graduate and then leave, but I met you and everything changed. I wanted to tell you everything from the start but never got the chance."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner ?" Clary asked.

"I was scared. I saw that you were this amazing girl who somehow wanted to be with me but with your popularity and how Sebastian spoke of you, you didn't seem to be the kind of girl for a loser like me. All of the Jace Wayland act is fake. Jace Herondale is dirt poor and trying to figure life out and keep his family alive at the same time. And then with the video, I was scared for a different reason. When you explained to me why you did stuff, I thought that you would never want to be in the life of a person with so much baggage like me." He quickly added, "My family is not baggage to me but they could be to you. But then I figured that if I wanted to have you long term, as friends at least, I'd have to tell you the truth at dome point, so why not now."

Clary sighed and gave him a lopsided smile, "Well, I love Kit. Mrs. H seems kind and absolutely nice, even though I met her once, she is a hero if your story is anything to go by. And that Wayland house was too much for me, the little house is perfect."

He smiled. "She is a hero. I didn't understand when I was a kid, but everyday, as I grow up, I value her more."

Clary returned the smile. "I don't even care if you are rich or poor or a vampire. As long as you are still you, I love .. to be friends with you."

Jace smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "That is all I can ask."

They sat in a comfortable silence, just looking at each other. Jace cleared his throat and stood up, "I should go. Mom and Kit will be waiting."

"But you said.." Clary stood up too.

"I think I should leave, I'll stay someday else, if you have everyone else over." He said and turned to leave.

Clary understood what made him change his mind. "Jace, I .."

He suddenly turned around almost running smack into her, he was standing close, looking at her, "Clary, that day in the club, I was working for Wayland. I brought you all to the house so I had to pay him up. And I don't exactly have money to spare so I helped him get a deal. Trust me when I say that I hated every second that I had to touch that woman."

Clary was again reminded of how it felt to stand there and see him with someone else. "I get it, Jace. It's okay. I forgive you, if I had anything to forgive."

It took everything in her not to jump up and kiss him like nothing else matters and feel his arms around her but she held back. Something telling her that they were better off as friends without other expectations getting in the way. She loved him but she needed to protect herself and tonight had shown her more of him but also made her realise that she didn't know anything about him at all. They had fallen head first into the relationship without ever being friends, then broke up and then it wasn't smart to jump back in again even though the hope and expectation in his eyes made her want to do so. He looked at her like that for a few more moments, as if waiting for her to fill in the gap and get back togehter. His eyes filled with a sad resignation when she didn't after a while. His lips turned up in a smile which she hated. She'd rather see him cry than smile like that. That defeated , resigned smile with no sparkling eyes or a hint of a smirk was not Jace.

She walked him out, standing at the door she asked, "How will you go home?"

"I will figure it out."

Clary was again gutted by the masked tire and defeat in his eyes as he spoke. It felt like those words meant something else, something other than their apparent mundane meaning. He leaned down and softly kissed her on the cheek, once. A light brush of the lips, almost like nothing touched her at all.

"Good bye, Clary. Have a good night."

 **A.N: I figured that was a good place to end. So, how are you feeling ? Tell me in the reviews. And as I said, my computer is broken so I will reply to reviews in the next chapter. Typing all that on my phone is a bit hectic. But tell me what you think? Did you expect this? Or were you surprised? Did I make you cry? Poor Jace. More of him is to come, wait and watch, rather read.**

 **Love, Thea.**


	12. Friends? Maybe or not?

**Hi! Lovely people. My computer is still broken so the chapter is prone to mistakes, mainly typos, so please bear with me. Thank you for reviewing. I am so grateful for each and every one of you. You are the bright spot in my bad days. Due to my computer being broken I can't really reply here, so I tried to reply personally but if I didn't then please don't be mad at me. I am seeing your reviews. And all the favourites and follows. Thank you so much.**

 ** _Jling_ I was so glad to hear from you again, ILYSM.**

 ** _Sarjoo06_ Hi ! **

**A guest reviewed on the last chap expressing confusion and criticism on how Clary acted and forgave Jace, if you are reading this, I want to say thank you for reviewing and deeming my story worth your time and thoughts. I understood your point and can only ask you to stick with this story and see if you like it. And I believe that people have a lot of imperfections and sometimes we consciously know something is wrong but can't help but be drawn to it. So I treat the characters as real people and try to keep things real to the best of my ability. I hope the next few chapters will clear your confusions and make things clearer.**

 **Now, onto the chapter ...**

"That was the last of it ! Thank God !" Isabelle exclaimed, shoving her notebook in her locker and scowling at it before slamming the door shut.

Clary giggled, all the students were happy that exams were over but Isabelle was beyond that. She wondered what her friend would do at graduation when school was over for good.

"Hey, bitches!" Kaelie sauntered up to them.

"Kaelie!" Isabelle faked enthusiasm and lightly half hugged the girl and pulled back quickly.

"So now that exams are over, we should celebrate, just us girls, what do you think?" Kaelie looked at Isabelle and Clary with a smile, as if she hadn't ruined her life. Two girls with Kaelie nodded and Isabelle just smiled, Clary wore her poker face. She was done pretending, now she was going to show her exactly what she thought of her.

"Well, that's decided !" Kaelie said with a little excited clap, "We celebrate. I'll get Sebastian to throw a party. Isabelle and Clary, both of you are invited. That is if Clary wants to go?" She spoke with an edge, daring Clary to speak up and accuse her of exactly what she did.

"I don't think so, Kaelie. I am _really_ happy that exams are over and I'd like to celebrate with people who are _real_." Clary snapped back.

Kaelie looked taken aback for a second but then had her calculated saccharine smile back on. If Clary had blinked she would have missed the slight disturbance on her face. She felt a rush of self confidence and smirked at Kaelie before sarcastically waving goodbye to Kaelie in her posse in the way she used to before and turned around and started to walk away with sure strides.

"You coming, Izzy ?" asked Clary, without looking back or stopping.

"Hell yeah !" Isabelle's pride was evident in her tone.

"Hey, boys, ready to party ?" Isabelle asked as they reached her brother, and Jace and a few other boys they hung out with.

"If you invite me sweetly, I'd go to hell with you, babe." Jordan, a friend of theirs who was happily in a relationship, flirtatiously winked at Isabelle who shoved him back jovially.

"I should call Maia and ask how she's doing so far away from home, shouldn't I ?" Isabelle turned to Clary "And tell her that the leash on her lapdog is loose, she should tighten it." Isabelle winked conspiratorially at her bestie.

"Hey! We are in a relationship, I'm not her lapdog!" Jordan protested.

"Oh, please!" Clary dismissed his protest, "She says fetch and you run, she's got you wrapped around her little finger, even while she's miles away with her family in New York."

"What can I say? I love her so much and she never asks for too much." Jordan said, placing a hand on his heart. Everyone could hear the fondness and affection for his girlfriend in his voice.

Clary smiled and heard Isabelle say "Aww, that's so cute." It really was.

Maia had transferred to another school after half the school year was over and was graduating in New York. Her parents had transferrable jobs and had to move on a short notice. It had saddened all of them, she's a good friend but it had hurt Jordan the most. They had made it out all right, though. They were making things work because they love each other too much to let go.

Clary sighed, she had always wished for that kind of love in life. She had always been jealous seeing couples together, in love, before but now the thought send a slight faded pain through her body and her eyes automatically turned towards the tall blonde boy standing behind Jordan and found that his eyes were already on her. She saw a passive face with wistful eyes. She averted her eyes, not being able to stare into those eyes she drew once and not let herself get lost. She couldn't do that. She had to stay strong and stay away from him. She needed to remember exactly why she had walked away and steel herself.

Almost like a sign, the girls who had been bullying her a few days before walked past.

"Hi, Jace !" Kaitlyn's excited high pitched voice came.

Jace turned to her, responding to his name, and held his hand up in a half wave and smirked at them and turned back to the conversation going on between Isabelle and the others about a party, which resulted in the girls blushing and smiling uncontrollably and rushing away.

Clary internally sighed and exhaled slowly and deeply. She was reminded of how he had stood with them against her and intentionally hurt her.

Jace had not even apologised. Given that she had not put up much of a resistance. The situation had been such. He saw her home safely and then spilled his most guarded secrets while looking so tortured, she couldn't help but forget everything and just be there for him. She had felt honoured that he chose to speak to her about such sensitive issues surrounding his life but some part of her had wondered whether he was actually letting her in and strengthening their bond or just paying her back for her secrets. Jace didn't seem like the type to keep debts of any form, so she couldn't rule that out completely.

God! She was so confused, one moment he was cold and separated, the second understanding, the third purely spiteful and fourth breaking down in her arms. She didn't know who was the real him, who she could trust. Or if she could trust him at all. The boy had everyone fooled, although he didn't have a choice in that. But who was she to speak, it would be immensely hypocritical of her.

But she knew that she would never bully anyone or hurt anyone, much less anyone she cared about. If he knew how being bullied felt like and cared a bit about her, why would he do that.

She had been so deep in thought that she was shaken back to life by Isabelle.

"Earth to Clary?" Isabelle was looking at her with an eyebrow raised.

"Just zoned out."

"I got that much." Isabelle was looking at her curiously but she could see the concern lacing her gaze.

"I'm fine, you know I daydream and that party talk was boring for me." Clary flashed a smile at her to defer questions.

"The party is going to be awesome. It's my place, selected good individuals and lots of food and booze." Isabelle said excitedly, "Come on, let's go." She walked on with everyone following in tow. Clary giggled when Alec shook his head in frustration at his oppressive sister but smiled fondly at her back.

Clary was going to speed up to catch her best friend but was detained by a hand on her upper arm.

"Would you wait a minute?"

She looked down at the tan fingers gripping her arm and immediately they let go and entangled themselves in golden curls. Jace looked down at her feet, nervously running his hand through his hair, for a moment and then looked up and met her eyes.

"I wanted to apologise."

"For what?" Clary asked, her heart racing for no reason.

"For that day, in front of the lockers. I never meant to hurt you but didn't know how to draw their attention away from you." He seemed flustered, "Honestly, I really wanted to help you but those girls were turning every word I said around to hurt you and I didn't know what to do without causing a scene so I took the closest escape, which in hindsight was the worst way out given the position we were in, and I am truly sorry for my harsh words. I didn't mean any of them." He finished his long apology and looked at her for a response but she kept mum. The events of that day flashing through her mind.

 _"Gold Digger."_

 _"Without Isabelle Lightwood, you are nothing."_

 _"You think we forgot how you were just because we shut up."_

 _"Protect her? Why will I protect her?"_

Every one of the words hurt but she didn't care about the voices which spoke them but the last voice sent a cold shiver down her spine. She sighed and opened her eyes which she hadn't realised that she had been forcing shut. She looked up and saw his concerned and apologetic face and something in her snapped and set off all the pent up anger.

"Really Jace? You think you can just apologise and things will be dandy and fine? I know that I hurt you but it was just a misunderstanding. I never used you. I never lied, not once, about how I felt. I understood your confusion and did my best to explain. You acted as if you empathised with me but then sided with every other ignorant bully!" She was almost screaming by then, "Every day since the video I had to hear those cutting words from everyone. I turned to the people who knew me for support, people who I loved. With all of the support I was strong enough to brush it off but I never expected you to be so, so vindictive !" She spat the words at him and saw him flinch.

"I knew that we were over and I knew that I had accused you of things that I should never have said, even though a lot was unclear to me too. But I thought that we could talk and sort things out because we loved each other! I never would have publicly sided against you if you were clearly hurt." She paused to breath. Words were coming out of her mouth in an uncontrollable stream.

She was angry and frustrated for a lot of reasons and she directed all that towards this one case. Jace was standing there, apologising, and taking all of her words without protest so she let the dam break. In her own self she would've just let it go and accepted his apology but at that moment she couldn't stop herself.

Her voice calmed down with most of the anger outed, "I never lied to you, never cheated on you or cheated you. I showed you exactly who I am and what I offered. I meant it when I said that I loved you and when you love someone you can't bear to see their pain. You don't increase it!" She told herself, mentally, to stop because things only got worse when you lost control on anger. But it felt so good, it felt so good to finally let go and not be apologetic or guilty. It felt good to be angry on a particular something and not be frustrated and confused all the time, "I should be the one pissed off, I was the one you lied to, you cheated on and then denied. I was the one you hurt. I should be angry and sulking but instead I was apologising, I was going after you to see if you were safe, I was the one patching your bloody hand and I was the one listening to your god damned sob story!"

Jace had been quietly taking all of her rant and looking apologetically downwards but at those last words he flinched back. At that sudden reaction Clary went over her words again and realised what she had done. In her anger she had disregarded every struggle in his life and the fact that he had confided in her. She wanted to facepalm or hit her head repeatedly against the wall, she knew she would mess up. That happened last time also but the hurt in his eyes and on his face was more intense this time. She gulped and bit her lip.

She wanted to apologise but her ego wouldn't let her. Her mind was telling her to immediately fix this situation but that pride again came in between. She swallowed again and crossed her arms indignantly in front if her chest, looked at a group of people talking and tried to act nonchalant, like a petulant child who knew that they were in the wrong but would not admit.

She didn't meet his eyes again but heard a sharp intake of breath and a shaky exhale. From the corner of her eye she saw his face covered with both hands for a while and then look at her with a blank face.

"I am sorry that I hurt you. I should have apologised before. And I am sorry that I disturbed you with my past and want to thank you for patching up my wound. You won't have to worry about anything pertaining to me from now on. I promise that I will be keeping my distance and thing strictly professional between us as students of the same institution. So thank you for being kind enough to let me speak that night and taking care of me."

She still didn't look at him but the clinical tone in the words and the words themselves made an ache spread from her chest to her arms and head. She frowned and kept herself from apologising profusely.

'He is bad news, it would do you good to stay away from him. He is erratic and good at lying and hiding things. This is for the best .'

Without waiting for any response from her, he walked away. She stared at his receding form. With hands in his pockets and slow strides, he exuded casualness but she could see the hard set of his shoulders. She finally relaxed her stance but felt anything but. It was clear last night that he wanted to get back together but she had offered friendship instead. But today she destroyed any sort of relationship with him in the future and every bit of trust he had for her.

She had hurt him to the greatest extent.

He would never approach her for anything ever again, she was absolutely sure of it and although her mind said that it was good for her, that she would be able to leave high school and start fresh without anything pulling her back, her heart ached to see those golden eyes lit up and that mischievous, flirtatious smirk.

"Are you sure you don't want to put any make up on? Like not even a bit of foundation and eye liner and a nude lipstick. Maybe a bit of blush ?" Isabelle was looking at Clary disdainfully.

"Absolutely positive, Izzy." Clary said for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"I liked it so much better when you would let me doll you up." Isabelle sighed, starting to work on Clary's hair. "I mean I get the natural look but it was so fun."

"Make up is fun for you, Izzy. It was a cover for me. I want to be real. I want to be myself and make up and dress up is not me. You actually enjoy wearing make up and shopping and clothes but I was forcing myself to fit in and now I'm not. So I must stand by my principles." Clary asserted herself for hopefully the last time.

"Ugh! Only you Clary Morgenstern can take make up and turn it into a philosophical discussion." Isabelle shook her head at at friend, smiling slightly with familiarity and affection.

Clary reached up and touched Isabelle's hand once and smiled herself. She was feeling content after a long time, nearly at complete peace. Although an uninvited thought came nagging but she pushed it away, not letting it spoil her bliss. She was with her best friend, their exams were over, they were going to hang out with others and have loads of fun. It was a good situation.

The party was nice. It started out slow, with just their closest friends, then their p closest friends' friends, then their friends and like that in under an hour the house was quite full. People were talking and eating and having a blast. Isabelle was enjoying herself while Alec was walking around keeping everyone in check. After all if things were messy, it was him who would have to clean it up.

It was late evening, the light outside was dying down and the mood inside was starting to get wild. From a friendly gathering, it was turning to a party.

"Isabelle, do your parents know about this party you've thrown in their house?"

"No, I didn't ask them. Maybe Alec did. Anyway, I don't care, they won't come in until tomorrow morning. Both work late nights today."

Clary nodded and looked around for familiar faces. She smiled wide when she spotted one. She saw Alec wandering nearby, grabbed him by the sleeve and walked to the person standing by the door.

"Magnus, Hi !" Clary hugged him tightly, "It's so good to see you! Haven't seen you in ages !"

"You saw me last week Biscuit, but it feels good to be missed." Magnus winked in a purely Magnus way making Clary laugh. She dropped her voice to a conspiratory whisper and pulled the tall man down to her level, "I am not the only one who missed you." She smirked and nodded her head in Alec's way.

Magnus leaned his head back smiling lazily, she could tell that he was excited and gave Alec a one over. "My my, Alexander, your fashion choice is absolutely on point tonight. Faded black T-shirt and grey track pants?"

"Uh.. thanks" Alec blushed and stuttered and then realised something, "Oh, wait you were probably being sarcastic, right?" At Magnus's nod he rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "Yeah, right. I'll just go, see if things are okay."

"Everything is under control, except your attire." Magnus said, looping his hand through Alec's, "Show me to your room, I'll fix this in an instant. Can't promise that this is my only reason for being so eager to see your room." Magnus winked at Alec, making him look down.

"I've got this Alec, go with him." Clary said, smiling at their cuteness, but again looking towards the door behind Magnus.

"That's right." Magnus smiled at her before noticing her distracted glances at the door.

"He's not coming, Biscuit."

"Huh?"

"It's futile to stare at the door. All I know is that he wasn't feeling up to it." Magnus smiled at her sympathetically.

"Right. Okay. Uh! I wasn't looking for him though."

Magnus raised an eyebrow at her. She pushed both the boys forward, "Go, fix Alec's fashion. It's an emergency." She said, enthusiastically.

"That's right." Magnus pulled Alec through the crowd, maybe towards his room.

Clary sighed, she had a tiny hope to see him at the party and maybe ponder over friendlier dynamics between them. She walked over to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water. She had lost Izzy somewhere and alone in the middle of a crowd was not a good feeling so she took the bottle and made her way upstairs to Isabelle's room. She shut the door but didn't lock it and lost her tight jeans in favour of a pair of Izzy's pyjama pants which were too big on her and threw herself on the bed and cuddled the pillow. She closed her eyes and decided to rest her tired body and even more tired mind.

"Clary! Wake up!"

Clary groaned in annoyance at being shaken roughly awake, "Mwat?"

"I didn't see you anywhere downstairs for two hours and then came up to see you lost to the world here." Isabelle put her hands on her hips. When Clary still didn't move or open her eyes, she yanked her by the hand and made her stand.

"God! Woman! Do you want to kill me?"

"Nope, bring you back to life, actually."

Clary groaned and rubbed her shoulder which may or may not have been dislocated by Isabelle's tug of war with the bed. "What are you ruining my sleep for?"

"For the fun that you are missing on. Come on, chop chop. I'll be waiting for you downstairs. By the way, I saw Alec and Magnus making out a while ago They are the cutest." She zoomed out of the room.

Clary yawned and stretched her body, trying to get herself to properly wake up. She had no inclination to back down to the party but she was sure that Isabelle would drag her ass down if she didn't. She stood in front of the mirror and looked at the bird's nest on her head. She huffed and took all the pins out and tied her hair into a knot on the top of her head. Her face was looking filled, and fresh. That sleep did her good. She splashed some water on her face and neck and straightened her T-shirt and put her jeans back on and made her way downstairs.

The music was too loud for her recently awoken self and she winced as she went down where the music intensified. The hall had been turned to a dance floor and the dining room a bar. Plastic cups littered the whole kitchen. The place was an absolute mess and Alec was nowhere to be seen. Clary made her way out to the drive way and breathed in the fresh air of the night. She heard a light giggling from near the garage. She slowly walked to it and peeked inside.

'Ah! That would explain why the cleanliness patrol was not going around .' Clary thought, smiling.

Isabelle had been right. Magnus and Alec were sitting on the hood of Alec's car and talking and occasionally kissing. Clary pulled herself back, leaving them to their conversation and went back in, looking for the other Lightwood.

She grabbed a handful of chips and stuffed her face, nearly had beer thrown on her, pushed her way from between two tall guys, but still saw no sign of her best friend. She took her phone out to call her but stopped in her tracks.

On the dance floor, a very familiar blonde was walking through, drinking from a plastic cup in his hand. She gulped at the sight of him and quickly turned around just to smack into her elusive best friend.

"Izzy! You were not here a second ago!" Clary rubbed her forehead which had hit her friends shoulder.

"I am telepathic. Specially attuned to your frequency. Now go."

"Go where ?"

"You know where. I saw you talking to him yesterday and that day you went MIA I got a text from him saying that you were with him and that he dropped you home. So you must be on better terms than before? So go, talk, make out, do something other than eating chips and looking for me."

"It's not that simple, Izzy." Clary shook her head. "We did not exactly talk about the stuff that were wrong between us. That day when he dropped me home, he stayed for a while."

She was interrupted by a gasp, "He met your parents? What did your dad say?"

"My dad wasn't home. My mum invited him to stay for dinner so I'd say she liked him. But I digress, that day it was a different vibe. We never acknowledged that anything was wrong or that he had been avoiding me for days. It was like we picked up from where we left off and it felt right. So things were good that night. But nothing was actually solved. So today when you saw us talking, he was apologising to me."

"That's good, right?" Isabelle looked curious.

"Not exactly. You see if apologies are accepted then things are okay.."

"You didn't accept his apology?" Isabelle asked, there was no disapproval in her voice, just the statement of a fact.

"Not exactly. No. I was suddenly so angry, I don't know why but I took it all out on him. And most of it was legitimate but I might have overstepped my limit. Who am I kidding, I know I went too far with one insensitive comment which was totally uncalled for." Clary lowered her face into her hands but they were pried away by Isabelle.

"What did you say, Clary?" She asked tentatively.

"Let's just say that he poured his heart out to me about his past and his family and after showing that I care, I dismissed all of it?"

"What ?"

"Jace, he isn't who we all thought he is outwardly. Now, it's his secret to share so I won't divulge but he has had a tough life and he told me all about it. That night, I could tell how hard it was for him to open up and how insecure he was about all of that and today in a fit of rage I basically told him that he shouldn't have said anything to me." Clary closed her eyes in regret.

"What exactly did you say, Clary ? I need an exact quote."

"I said that when I should have been angry with him for what he did, I was the one supporting him and listening to his sob story." Clary's skin broke out in goosebumps which were not the fun kind.

"Oh my God, Clary." Isabelle looked sympathetic but her tone suggested reproachment. "How could you do that? I know he hurt you very badly with that locker incident and even I was furious but no one deserves to be dismissed like that. Imagine if you came and told me about your insecurities and I reacted like that. That hurts the worst and it's not like you both don't know each other, coming from a person who has so much history like you two have, it hurts the most."

"Don't you think I know that? I wanted to apologise the second the words left my mouth but I just couldn't."

Isabelle pulled the smaller girl in for a hug, "I really wish I knew how to fix this, Clary. I can see how much this is hurting you but I can't do anything. You just have to talk to him."

Clary squeezed her friend and pulled back, "I know but what if this is for the best ? This way I can stay away from him and end this chapter of my life with a clean slate."

"Oh, sweety. That won't work because that's not who you are. You can never hurt somebody and live with ignoring it. And to think that the person is Jace, who I know that you care about a lot. So if you want to stay away, fine, I will always be there for you but I will ask you to talk this out and then stay away. But not before you've found it in yourself to forgive him, if you can. Because talking about that issue is bound to bring the past back up and if you are still bitter about it, nothing will be solved. So take your time and ponder your options. You are the smartest person I know, you'll figure it out. And if you can't we'll get through this mess together like we always do."

Clary smiled, silently thanking the universe for her best friend.

"Isabelle ! Your kitchen is flooded with alcohol !"

Isabelle turned towards the commotion and at once ran to do damage control.

Clary laughed to herself on seeing her best friend turn into Chief Commander and making some poor dudes wipe the whole floor.

She turned to the dance floor but didn't see who she wanted to see. She frowned and looked around but hated what she saw. Jace was dancing with a girl. She was pretty, not the fake bimbo pretty. Actually sweet looking and pretty. She was holding onto Jace's waist and slowly moving her own, as if she was just learning to dance. Jace was actually smiling, the smile which only Clary got to see rarely, and shaking her head at the girl's adorable awkwardness. Clary's shoulder slumped as she took them in. The girl was tall, almost as tall as Isabelle but not that tall, perfect height for Jace.

He wasn't being forced to bend a foot down with her as he had to with Clary. He was relaxed, his face had no signs of tension and seemed to be actually enjoying her company. The girl said something which made him throw his head back in laughter. Clary's heart clenched, there was no stress between them, no complication or drama. They looked like the perfect couple. Jace ran his hand through the long, blonde curls on the girls head. Her hair looked naturally curled and shiny, something her own would never be. Her blonde was nearly the same as Jace's. Her slightly tanned skin complemented his perfectly. Both of them hooked their hands behind each other's neck and touched their foreheads and continued to sway to the music. Clary was standing there, dumbfound, looking at the scene playing out in front of her. They both looked like they were in their own world and were perfect for each other, as if some casting director had done several chemistry tests and chosen both of them for each other.

Clary sighed, she wasn't sure she wanted to talk about them to him or even apologise because he didn't seem like he wanted to rehash all their bitter memories. She closed her eyes, were all their memories bitter ? No, they weren't, she remembered that sunset on the cliff where they had held each other and smiled until their faces cracked. She smiled reminiscing the moments.

Although, at that point it seemed like all they'd been doing for weeks was fight. But through all that fighting, there was that burning attraction and that hope of solving things but now, she felt like their separation was final, that she should accept the clean break and move on. Maybe they would talk things out in the future, maybe they could be friends but that's where it ended. They would be just friends with separate lives. That realisation sent a cold shiver down her spine.

The Golden Boy had finally found his Golden Girl and he would share all of his sunsets of gold with her.

A single tear ran down Clary's face and her arms physically ached to be held by him. At that moment , even though he was right in front of her, she missed him the most.

Jace had known that he had royally messed up the second he saw the deep hurt in Clary's eyes while he smirked at the girls being mean to her. His ears had been burning by the way people talked about her.

He knew why she did what she did and had understood. Nobody could understand better, because didn't he do the exact same thing? He wanted to make her understand that he was standing against her for her own good, because he didn't know any better.

When he received the text that day while working that Clary was missing, his heart had skipped a beat. He had contemplated calling her but knew that wouldn't work. She wasn't picking up her best friend's call why would she pick his up. She would probably decline it out of spite. He had been so inattentive that he had ended up touching the engine of a car which had been just dropped off and burnt his hand. He had texted Isabelle a few times but received the same answer. Nobody knew where she was.

With the growing anxiety, he had texted her once but didn't get a reply. When he heard her voice call his name at the bus stop his heart had leaped in relief, he had to restrain himself from hugging her tightly to him and not let go. He missed having her small but strong frame in his arms so much. Instead he had resorted to yelling at her, trying to show her how worried he had been. She had asked about him instead. Question after question. The answer to which would completely make him unravel. But he had answered to his best without giving too much away.

She hadn't protested when he had almost invited himself to her house. He had been hoping not to run into her father and thankfully hadn't. She had asked her mother for him to stay who had been kind enough to let him. She had taken him inside her room and bound his wounds with as much care as his mother used to when he was younger. He had been weakened by the need to tell her everything in hopes of making her see how much she meant to him and how much he trusted her.

He would've told her earlier but had been worried that she was going to run. At that moment he had nothing to lose. She had listened to him, every word, supported him when he was on the verge of breaking down, and kissed him, telling him that he was worth her time and affection. She had even asked her to stay for dinner but he couldn't bring himself to when he saw that she had forgiven him for the most part but was not comfortable having him as anything more than a friend. He had accepted that that was all he would get from her and walked out. He had realised on the long walk home that he had never apologised. Not in exact words.

With the exams going on, he hadn't disturbed her. Other than occasionally smiling when they saw each other in the hallway or a 'Hi' in the parking lot, they hadn't spoken. When the exams ended, he had tried to apologise and had very deservingly had his ear bitten of by her. She had every right to be absolutely furious so he had not protested but her last words had knocked the wind out of him.

They were his worst nightmare coming true.

He had never spoken about his life to her or anyone for that matter in fear of irritating them with his nagging complains. People had better work to do than listen to him. Magnus had supported him but never asked him anything other than what he saw, Alec had just got the jist on a lot of prodding, but Clary was different. He had taken a chance with her, pushed his anxiety away and blurted out the truth. Opened up about his insecurities and had been thankful when she had been nothing but supportive and sympathetic. There was a nagging voice at the back of his head telling him that she didn't care and he should shut up already if he didn't want to scare her away with all his baggage.

But hearing her say the words made him physically feel a blow to his chest. His eyes had filled with tears which he didn't allow to fall and pushed past the choked throat and apologised for bothering her and thanked her for listening to him. He never got her to look at him and he didn't want to, being too afraid of what he would see.

He walked away, refusing Alec's offer of a ride home. He didn't need to bother more people to carry around his sorry ass.

On reaching home he had not seen his mother in their one room house, assuming she was working in the Wayland Manor, he had looked for his brother and found him playing by the roses. The way Kit's eyes lit up on seeing him, cemented his belief that he had to live till his brother could take care of himself and their mother. He couldn't give in to the tired feeling that had settled deep in his bones which made acting everyday over exhausting. He had picked him up and found an extra dollar and taken him out for an ice cream which he got a bite of.

He found Magnus in his house when they got back. He asked him to go to Isabelle's party but he had refused, using his brother as an excuse. It was true, he had to look after Kit because their mother was working and then go to work himself. Their mother had came back, tired as usual. Kit had tried to hug it better like he did for his brother too.

Kit was the balm of the family. Both Jace and his mother worked as hard as they did for Kit and looked up to each other when things were dark. He was so thankful for his family at that moment, who put up with his shit even though they had no reason to. He tried to pay them back to the best of his ability.

The garage had called and asked him not to come in that day because they would be closed so suddenly his whole evening was free. He relieved his mom of the cooking, and tucked her in. Her health seemed worse everyday and she wouldn't see a doctor, brushing it off as tiredness and a cold. He had sorted papers for Wayland and earned a few more bucks.

And finally decided to pay the party a visit just to see the girl he always wanted to see. He wouldn't bother her, just see how beautiful she looked as she smiled with her friends. He would not deny himself that simple pleasure. Even though she didn't want him, he wanted her terribly. He would never ask her to do anything for him but looking from afar never hurt anybody.

He got in but didn't see her anywhere. He saw Magnus and Alec sneak off somewhere and snickered. Those two were polar opposites but so similar at heart. Both of them together would be the epitome of kindness and benevolence. They could change the world.

He grabbed a drink and walked through the dance floor, trying not to push people too hard. His eyes at once spotted her. Her back was facing him. She was talking to Isabelle who was frowning at her. He wondered if anything was wrong, he wanted to make everything in her world better but couldn't decide if she would be too bothered if he spoke to her. So her took her form in instead. She was wearing tight jeans which made her legs look very thin and long. Her top was nothing special, just a fitted T-shirt which was short and made the belt on her jeans show. Her hair was tied in a knot on her head. He loved her hair down, it gave him the freedom to run his hands through the fiery curls and feel how soft they were. His hands itched to go and open the knot and run his hands through the tresses but he didn't have the right anymore.

He wasn't Jace Wayland in her eyes anymore, he was the real him, the broken, weak, disgusting himself. So he shoved his hands in his pockets, having lost his drink somewhere.

"Hi."

He turned around hearing a soft voice behind him. A girl was standing behind him.

"Were you talking to me?"

"Yeah," she seemed nervous, "I have always seen you around school but never got the guts to approach you."

"Yeah, why? Do I look like the Grinch?" Jace smirked.

The girl blushed, "No, you are always surrounded by the popular crowd and I don't mix with them. But you seem cool to hang out with."

Jace smirked and said, "Most people would say hot."

To his surprise she confidently smiled and reached up and whispered, "I don't hang out with hot people, I do other things."

He laughed, "I am impressed."

She was tall, just a few inches shorter than him. Her tan skin was quite opposite the pale freckled one of the girl who was always on his mind. She had long blonde shiny curls which ran down her back in rivulets. Polar opposite his frizzy haired, fiery short redhead.

"Would you like to dance?"

"I would, but not before I catch your name." He smirked.

She smirked back, "Helen, Helen Blackthorn." She extended her arm to shake his but he turned it and kissed her knuckles instead.

She giggled and pulled him to a clearer spot and started to dance awkwardly. He grabbed her hips and moved it slowly in rhythm with his. The song changed to a slower one and she hooked her hand behind his neck and he did the same. They danced goofily with their foreheads touching. Both of them where laughing by the end of the dance, he surprisingly found himself enjoying her company. Then she said something that made him throw his head back in laughter.

"You seriously think that I can't dance? What was that awkward thing you were doing with your hips?" He imitated her.

She laughed and then acted as if she was very offended, "What? Are you insulting my suave moves?" She did that again, making him double over in laughter. When he straightened himself, he saw her smiling at him.

"What ?"

"Mission accomplished."

Hr frowned, "What mission ?"

"You were looking sad and alone so I killed two birds with one stone. Made you laugh and got to dance with the hottest guy in school."

He was dumbfounded for a while and then realised that she had noticed his sadness and tried to cheer him up and she didn't even know him. He was oddly touched. He smiled gratefully and pulled her in for a hug. Maybe she would be the one to help him stay away from a particular fiery damsel in distress.

He looked forward and suddenly his thoughts were pulled. Clary was standing alone, facing them, eyes closed, a tortured frown on her face. She opened her eyes and saw him looking. She turned around and ran up.

Excusing himself from Helen, he went after her. He realised, once upstairs, that the party was confined to downstairs. He walked down an aisle, trying to find her. He heard a sobbing from behind a door. He slightly pushed it open to see Clary sitting on the bed, clutching the bedpost and crying. He hesitated for a second but then slowly walked in. He kept a hand on her shoulder and she instantly jerked back and turned around, her eyes widening when she saw who it was, as if she had never expected him to come up.

Her face was red. Cheeks tear stained and blotched. Nose adorably red. She looked beautiful even while crying. But he hated when she cried, he would rather make her red in other ways. She rubbed her nose with the back of her hand and said, "I'm sorry."

That was unexpected, why would she apologise? For crying?

"For what ?"

She frowned and seemed confused for a while. Then blew a strand of hair out of her face. "I hurt you. What I said at school, it wasn't necessary."

"It's okay. You said what you felt, you can't change how you feel. And I hurt you more."

She shook her head, "No, I don't feel that way, at least not the last part. No, not any of it, uh.. God! I am so confused." She sat back down and covered her face with her hands. He pulled them away, gently, and saw that she was crying again. He pulled her up and tightly held her to himself. Her hands went around his waist and she pressed her face in his chest. She was a lot shorter than him and her head just reached his heart. It was oddly fitting. He bent down and rested his chin on her head and held her tighter. Her arms tightened too. She started shaking and sobbing again, her fingers digging into his back, holding him as tight as possible to her. He didn't ask her what was wrong because he knew that the stress was getting to her. She didn't cry easily and if he asked probably she wouldn't even know what was wrong. He just held her and let her feel that she wasn't alone. She mumbled something which vibrated through his chest.

He softly said, "I can't hear what you are saying."

She raised her head a bit but didn't look up, "I love you."

If her apology was unexpected then this was completely out of the blue. He never expected to hear those words again from her, at least not directed to him. He softly pressed his lips on her head but didn't say the words back. He knew that she was vulnerable and upset and he was there, with their history maybe she said them and now regretted uttering them. She would never mean it the way way he did, which was good, he told himself, he would never be able to keep her happy anyway. He came with a lot of baggage which she didn't need to deal with.

She pulled away, and rubbed her face free of tears. She looked up at him with vulnerable, soft eyes. His eyes flicked to her lips when she bit her lower lip, almost making him groan. He wanted to kiss her so bad, to lose himself in those soft lips. He cleared his throat.

"I will leave you to gather yourself." He said and pressed a kiss on her forehead and quickly left, gathering his breath once he was outside.

That cemented it for Clary. He didn't even kiss her when she bit her lip, he never could hold himself back before. He didn't even say the words back to her when she had hoped, prayed, that he would respond. Her mind said that it was probably for the best but her heart pulled her to him. Her body seemed to be under her heart's control because the second he put his arms around her, it felt safe, protected and placated. She wondered if she would ever feel his arms around her like that again.

 **A.N: Sorry for the long wait, but after the long wait came the long chapter. Sorry, bad joke.**

 **You guys have been so kind to me that my expectations have risen. So I do expect a lot of people telling me what they think. Particularly, I don't know who you are as it showed you as Guest, I really want to know what you think now. Tell me, would you? And mention who you are please or else I wouldn't know.**

 **For others, _msgoldeneyes_ , _gcgemz_ , and all the other guys who review and make me smile, thank you, tell me what you think here too, please. All the followers, please feel free to tell me what you think when you feel like it. **

**While waiting for the next update, you could read my story Lost in Translation and please tell me what you think of it. Those of you already did, kisses.**

 **Love, Thea**


	13. When Life gets in the way

**Hi, beautiful people, I am back. Thank you so much for bearing with me and waiting for me. Some of you wished me luck for my exams, I did read the reviews and felt grateful for you people.**

 **I found two of you from India who are in their tenth this year, all the best to both of you for you pre-boards and just take it easy because last year was hectic for me too but I found that the actual board exams are quite easy, easier than what your school makes it seem to be. Have fun and if you feel like screaming and crying, do so, because I know I did.**

 **SOME VETERAN ADVICE FOR CLASS 10** **STUDENTS OF INDIA. (I'm kidding, I'm no psychologist or veteran, just some kid who went through the same shit you are going through and spewing some bs. )**

 **Take it one day at a time and remember that at the end of the day, this means nothing. Take care of yourself first, physically, mentally and emotionally. Take a break when needed without feeling guilty for wasting precious revision time. And stay in touch with yourself because after this you have to take one of the biggest and basic decision the rest of your life, so knowing what you truly want is important. Messing up while deciding is okay too, I did and I am still learning and getting to know myself better and trying to wade through life. Talk to the people you love the most, a best friend, a parent, a teacher who is like a parent/sibling to you. Discuss casual stuff, take evenings off of tuitions and laugh with family over a cup of tea and bad jokes and stories of the good ole' times. Concentrate on finding your learning style by trial and error and then proceed accordingly. Read books, watch movies, fangirl over actors and pop stars (I religiously listened to Shawn Mendes to calm my mind down and Taylor Swift for vocabulary and english phrases) do everything that makes you happy because if you are happy, your retention capacity is the most, I speak from experience here.**

 **Reward yourself when you work hard with something you like. (choco-chip ice cream, I swear that I ate gallons and gained 5 kgs, but don't care 'cause it made me happy!)**

 **Most importantly, breathe and relax. And DO NOT compare yourself to your peers. Don't think how well they are prepared when you can't answer one question and they could, don't think that they are doing the right thing when they say "I stayed up till 3am studying and came to school at** **8 am", do not blame yourself for being tired and getting some much deserved sleep, when you hear one of your friend travels 2 hours regularly on public transport to go to school and then come to your tuition class and then studies till 2 in the morning, it's not your fault the poor person is overworked, you don't need to be hard on yourself because somebody else is working harder than you. You are your own person who has their own physical capacity and metabolism. And I know that in India we see 90% as mediocre total percentage and I know how much pressure it puts on the mind but know that the 97% on your classmates gradesheet is not going to land them on the President's chair, so just chill. And I know that even if people tell you to chill, you can't force that nagging guilt for not studying 24/7 away or the tension about your grades, so my last advice is do how much you can do.**

 **Let the stress out by your own way and do not feel guilty about being more privileged than the teenagers of Sundarban because I know that is exactly what goes through your mind when you are stress crying and your brain chooses that moment to replay some memory from a decade back when your aunt was scolding her kid for not putting in 'enough' effort and reminding them how privileged they are compared to some kids.**

 **I just realised that I wrote about three paragraphs. (: q: So if you actually read all that, thank you, hope this helps a tiny bit and ALL THE BEST!**

 **If you have any concerns about anything else, life with exams, dealing with stress, family drama, etc you can reach out personally. DM me on my instagram or PM me here and I promise to hear you out and try and be your shoulder(virtual) to cry on, without any judgement or irritation.**

 **END OF VETERAN ADVICE.**

 **Now, onto the story...**

* * *

"Clary! Clarissa! Wake up, sweetie."

"Val, you coddle her. Clary get out of bed right now or I'll feed you eggs for dibber everyday!"

Clary frowned and groaned, hiding her face under her pillow. She felt her father's loving hand on the back of her shoulder trying to coax her out of bed and her mother's no nonsense voice floated in from the kitchen. Clary pulled her legs up to her chest and curled up under the thin sheet covering her and pulled her pillow tighter on her face, groaning out a irritated, sleepy, 'leave me alone'.

"I wish I could let you sleep, Clary but vacation is over and you have to join school today again." Valentine said, rubbing his daughter's back, comforting her.

Clary turned to lay on her back and threw one arm over her eyes, squinting in the bright sunlight streaming through her uncurtained window.

Mom !, she thought frustratedly. Jocelyn could be vindictive if she wanted to.

"I'm awake, you can go torture some poor books at the library."

Valentine laughed at his daughter's grouchiness at being awakened early and went out of her room after ruffling her hair affectionately.

Clary sighed. School, again. Unending homeworks and projects and tests. And bullies. Oh! And throw an awkward relationship with Jace in the mix and you will have the perfect soup that Clary was swimming in.

The rest of the after mid-term vacation had been different. Nothing too out of ordinary though, just a different vibe. The same hanging out with Isabelle, sketching. Fun with Magnus had been a novelty, specially seeing the relationship between Alec and Magnus progress. They were the cutest. Magnus was still teasing Alec whenever he got a chance but Alec had gotten better with them, he actually responded sassily sometimes and just turn red otherwise. All of them had gotten very close over the summer. Magnus worked at a chemist's and sometimes cut work to join them. In his words, "An ice-cream with friends is as much of an emergency as an illness."

Nothing had changed between her and Jace, or you could say, everything had changed. He didn't talk to her at all after Isabelle's party, not even one syllable. He never joined their group outings. She had seen him talking to Alec and Magnus, even saying hi to Isabelle, but never her. Clary had resigned herself to the fact that this estrangement was probably good for her but it still bothered her, specially the times when she saw him spending time with that blonde girl, Helen Blackthorn. Alec had gathered the information from their conversations and passed it onto Clary. She had seen them across town a few times. She knew that going to school would open up that wound every single day but who said the world was fair?

She dragged herself out of bed and freshened up. Pulled her damp hair into a pony tail, a T-shirt over her head and resorted to wearing trackpants. She was going to look how she felt. Gathering her belongings in her backpack and dialed Isabelle while stuffing her face with cereal and milk.

"Hi, Clary, I am on my way to school."

"Pick me up?"

"Yeah, sure. Alec! We are picking Clary up."

Clary heard a grunt from Alec who was presumably driving.

"Do you have to turn back around or something ? I can walk if that's the case."

"You are not walking to school, turning back is no problem. Is it, Alec?"

"Yes..ow.. No! not a problem."

Clary laughed knowing that her best friend was making her unwilling brother do her bidding.

"See you."

Clary hung up and sat down and concentrated on breakfast and assimilating thoughts for her first class. She hated Math but had to take it and be good at it, so that needed a lot of concentration which was hard to manage first thing in the morning.

She jumped up from the couch when she heard a car honk outside her house and kissed her mum and dad on the cheek and went out.

"Hey, I missed you!" Isabelle was holding the backdoor open.

"You saw me two days ago Isabelle." Clary said, getting in.

"Didn't you caffeinate yourself? You have your morning bitch attitude." Isabelle said with her eyebrow raised, jokingly.

"No. I wanted to keep my special 'after vacation bitchy mood' intact."

Isabelle shook her head at her friend at her sarcastic comeback.

"Could any one of you sit in front? I'm not your chauffeur, you know."

"Nope. None of us are sitting beside you." Isabelle pointedly told her brother who huffed and resumed driving.

Clary rested her head back and closed her eyes. Isabelle didn't talk anymore, not wanting to disturb her friend who clearly was in a bad mood. The silence was broken by Alec.

"Aha! I got my passenger for the passenger seat."

* * *

Clary opened her eyes, feeling Alec slow down a bit and saw him carefully cut through traffic and pull up near the sidewalk beside the person currently occupying the first position in Clary's 'To Avoid' list. She would've even dealt with Kaelie in the morning, at least there it was black and white, pure dislike.

"Not him, please." Clary whispered, hoping against hope that Alec wouldn't call out and invite him to ride with them. Another part of her did not want him to have to walk twenty minutes to school, if he had been walking from his house, it would be a nice one hour walk to school. See, that was the problem, her thoughts and decisions were always so split and complicated when it came to him.

"Jace!" Alec called loudly.

Jace seemed startled for a second before looking around for the source of his name. His eyes landed upon the car idling a few steps behind him and Alec waving out of the window.

He walked back and bent down against the rolled down window of the passenger seat.

"What's up?"

"You walking to school?"

"Yeah." He hadn't noticed the girls in the backseat.

"Come in, ride with us."

At the 'us' Jace looked in the backseat. Isabelle waved with a smile and Clary just stared, contemplating a smile but decided against. Jace tore his eyes away from her and hesitated to give Alec an answer.

"Uh! It's okay, man. I walk most of the times. I'll be fine."

"I'm sure you'll be fine walking, but you don't have to because you have a car going to your destination and an empty seat in it. Come on." Alec leaned over and opened the door but Jace was still hesitant.

"I like to walk, it's fine."

"Jace, just shut the crap and get in."

Jace almost smiled at Isabelle's usual commanding voice without the politeness of her sibling.

"I'm used to walking. You'll get late, you should get going." Jace said, unsurely, stealing a glance at Clary.

Now, she saw the problem. It was her. Jace was hesitating because she was present. Was it because he was not sure how she would feel about his proximity or because he was just didn't like her presence? She took a chance and softly spoke.

"You should get in the car, Jace. School is quite a bit away and you have probably been walking since your home."

Jace looked at her surprisedly, as if he was shocked that she actually wanted him to ride with them. He mumbled an 'okay' and got in.

"Damn, boy, you are so whipped. All of this begging from Alec, even I spared a request and you give in at her whispered words." Isabelle teased.

Jace didn't respond or turn back but his neck had turned a light red, from all the walking or something else, who knows.

* * *

"Thank you for giving me a ride."

They were in the parking lot, Alec was getting out of the driver's side and slammed the door.

"No problem. You could walk to our house every day and ride with us. It's neared than the school from where you start walking."

"That won't be necessary, but thank you." Jace slung his backpack on one of his shoulder's, muscles flexing underneath his usual flimsy white t-shirt. He ran his hand through his hair. "Uh! I'll see you later then, I have Math first, changed the schedule a bit."

"Oh, really? Clary has Math first too, you should go with her."

Clary mentally punched Isabelle for divulging that information. Jace turned to look at her questioningly. She shrugged, and started walking towards class, with Jace tailing her.

The short walk from the parking lot to the class was silent. Nobody spoke a word. Jace greeted a few people and Clary walked with eyes trained on her feet.

The teacher hadn't arrived yet, so she found an empty seat in the second row and sat down. Jace hovered for a minute, probably debating on occupying the seat beside her. Clary looked up at him, trying to convey that she was. more than fine with him sitting with her, when another voice from across the class called out his name.

"Jace!"

Clary saw Helen waving at Jace and pointing at a seat beside her. Jace looked at her and then back to Clary, indecisively. Clary lowered her eyes to her book and acted like her heart wasn't racing at the anticipation of his decision.

Jace pushed the chair back in and walked over to sit with Helen, leaving Clary to feel a twinge inside her chest from disappointment.

* * *

"I can't do this anymore!" Isabelle complained, plopping down on the chair beside Clary, who was picking at her food.

"What can't you deal with?" Clary looked up at her friend, leaving the fruit salad her mother had packed alone.

"School. I had five classes before lunch and every single teacher gave homework! I mean who does that? On the first day of school after vacation we are supposed to be out of practise at dealing with all this shit so we should take it slow."

"Or you could say that we are well rested and ready to jump in with our full potential." Clary said, biting down on a piece of apple.

"You are not supposed to be on their side." Isabelle glared at her while stealing her fruit and shoving a piece into her mouth.

"Hey! I'm just saying" Clary raised her hand in surrender.

"Whatever. You are helping me finish the homework, fyi."

"Don't I always." Clary gave her a saccharine smile which Isabelle returned.

They continued eating and talking when Clary saw the popular boys enter the room, doubling the noise level. They made their way to their usual table. Alec waved at his sister and Clary. Jace was laughing with Jordan while discussing something. Clary's heart tugged at the sight. She didn't realise how much she missed seeing him laugh or smirk and be his old self around her. It had been months since she had last seen him so relaxed because he was never around her that much and when he was in her vicinity, he was always tense, always on guard. Their old comfortable and carefree dynamic had changed and she hoped that it wasn't permanent. Jace had a way of making her feel so carefree and good to her soul. She craved to feel that once more.

* * *

"So, did you survive the rest of school without getting more homework?" Clary teased Isabelle, leaning against Alec's car.

"Yeah." Isabelle said, rubbing her hands together. It was getting a bit chill in the evenings sometimes. "How long does it take for a person to buy soda and chips?"

They were waiting for Magnus and Alec to come out of the store they disappeared into about fifteen minutes ago. Isabelle looked at her phone again, "That's it, I'm going in, they probably got lost or are making out in some corner while we wait out here for food."

Isabelle stomped in the store, scanning the place for her brother and his boyfriend. Clary stood beside her doing the same. The cash counter was overflowing with people. It seemed like every single person of town had suddenly come up with the idea of shopping. They moved towards the long queue, trying to locate their friends and suddenly saw Magnus waving animatedly, trying to get their attention. Both the girls walked towards them, earning a few protests and evil eyes when they broke through the queue to reach considerably near the cash counter.

"You both are stuck here, and Isabelle thought that you are probably making out in some corner."

Clary's comment made Alec blush but Magnus shrugged and said, "I wish that we were actually doing so instead of this." He waved at the crowd around them.

The line moved forward at snail pace but they ultimately reached the counter and got out of the store after quickly paying.

"So, now where?" Isabelle asked.

"I would invite you home but my apartment doesn't have anything to play a movie on." Magnus said.

"You know, why don't we go to the park and just sit and talk?" Clary suggested.

"A night-time picnic? That's a great idea. Let's do that." Isabelle said, excitedly.

"I don't see a reason not to. Great idea, Biscuit. What do you say, Alexander?"

Alec just grunted and shrugged.

"I'll take that as assent. Then, picnic it is. But we need food." Magnus looked at Isabelle with a raised brow.

Isabelle smiled and clapped her hands together, "That can be arranged."

* * *

Clary liked picnics but what she had not thought before suggesting it was that they would end up in the same park as Jace and Helen.

They had gone to the Lightwood's and packed a basket, Isabelle had called over Simon too. So suddenly their low-key hangout plan became a full on picnic. Clary was having fun scouting for a spot to sit down with her friends. Magnus was being his usual colourful self and Alec was the one with the heaviest basket. Isabelle was chatting non-stop with Simon and holding his hand which made Clary raise her brows and get the finger from her best friend. Clary laughed and trailed behind the group.

"Found it." Magnus was proudly looking at the clearing near the lake in the jogger's park. "The perfect spot."

"So let's put out things down. Clary, the sheet on the ground, now." Isabelle ordered.

"Here, let me help you." Simon said, grabbing two corners of the bedsheet they had grabbed from Alec's room ignoring his protests, and helping Clary spread it on the ground. It was fairly big and once all of them were sitting comfortably, Isabelle started taking out food and distributing between them. They had packed pretty cliche picnic food, sandwiches and cake, with soda and potato chips.

"This is a nice place," Simon said.

"The first time I came here, I found Clary and Jace with their tongues down each other's throat. A very disturbing scene, let me tell you." Magnus joked.

Clary remembered the day clearly and the reminder was not very pleasant. She was taken back to that day, all the smiles and chocolate and kisses.

"Speak of the devil..." Magnus said looking behind Clary.

She turned around and saw Jace and Helen a bit further up, laughing amd walking hand in hand. It was obviously a date.

"We should call them over." Alec said and before anyone could protest, he had already stood up and started walking over to them. Clary saw them surprisedly look at Alec and then Jace's eyes flickered to them. After what it seemed a little contemplation, they walked over with Alec who looked weirdly excited now compared to a minute ago.

"Hi, guys. What are you doing here ?" Isabelle asked.

"Just hanging out, nothing much." Jace shrugged.

"So would you like to sit down with us?"

"Yeah,sure why not?" Helen said and sat down between Isabelle and Clary, pulling Jace down making him almost sit on top of Clary, who immediately scooted closer to Magnus. Magnus narrowed his eyes at Jace who was avoiding looking at his friend.

After a few minutes of awkward silence and spurts of conversation Simon suggested a game of truth and dare.

"Okay, so we can't strip here without catching a cold so no stripping and we don't have beer so what do we do if you want to pass on the question?" Isabelle looked at all of them curiously.

"We spin bottle then and the person unwilling to answer has to kiss the one on whom the bottle lands?" Magnus suggested.

"Yeah, that's a good idea, so who goes first?"

"I'll go." Helen said. Isabelle motioned for her to start.

"Okay, Magnus, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"Hm. Go without your make-up for this whole week."

"What? No way."

Isabelle grabbed an empty soda bottle and gave it to Magnus who spun it and it landed on Isabelle.

"Come one, rules are rules." Isabelle pulled herself up and pecked Magnus on the lips.

"Now I know why Alec likes you so much. His lips are better moisturised than mine." Isabelle incredulously told Clary.

"It's my special routine, I'll teach you someday." Magnus winked at her, "Okay, my turn. Alec, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

Magnus made a face at him, "Bore, okay which type of music is your guilty pleasure?"

Alec looked around uncomfortably, "Taylor Swift."

"What! That is your _guilty_ pleasure? Taylor Swift is a work of art. How can anyone not like her?" Magnus exclaimed.

Jace and Simon's snicker told Clary why it was Alec's guilty pleasure, "What, I like her too."

"Exactly, Clary, _you_ like her. She's a girly singer."

"Well, newsflash, she is a girl."

"Now, now, children, let's not music-shame people." Magnus said, playing the peacemaker. "Okay, Alec, your turn."

"Uh, Clary, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"Tell each one here what you actually think of them."

Clary's eyes widened. "Okay. Uh, Magnus is the kindest person I have met. I love his sense of style and his courage. He shows what he actually is to everyone and I really admire that."

"Aw, thank you, Biscuit." Magnus blew a kiss at her which made her laugh and she blew one back.

"Alec, next. Okay, you are the only big brother that I have and I appreciate you dealing with my ass and driving me around most of the time. You look out for people you care about and I'm honoured to be one of them." Alec smiled at her which she returned.

"Simon, you are one of my closest friends. I really appreciate your steady presence in my life. You call me out on my mistakes and you're always there for advice and support."

Simon leaned over and gave her a hug.

"Isabelle," Clary giggled, "You are truly my sister and partner in crime. You het on my nerves sometimes and I'm sure I do too. We are vastly different people and I don't know how we are so close but I am so glad that I have you forever. You were there for me at my lowest and stood up for me when you had no reason to. I'll never be able to thank you enough for that."

Isabelle smiled at her and wiped at her eyes, "Aw, man. You're making me cry. I love you too, girl." Isabelle higged her tightly and both the girls were laughing. Magnus was looking at them with soft eyes like they were a cute pair of kittens or puppies.

"Helen, I really don't know you, but you seem cool, I'd like to get to know you." Clary smiled at the blonde girl. She had been speaking from the heart till then but lied through her teeth, she didn't have any wish of actually getting to know the girl.

"You too, Clary."

The next person set her heart in an overdrive. She shut up, trying to calm her heart and hoping that they would move on and not have her speak about him.

"Clary you missed our dear Jace." Magnus prompted.

Clary mentally cursed and turned to him with a tailored smile, "Jace." He was looking down at his hands in his lap, on hearing his name, he looked up at her. Clary almost lost her schooled features, she hadn't looked him in the eye in weeks. And hated the blankness in them. She couldn't read him at all. She couldn't tell if his heart was racing as fast as hers, or if he was anticipating her words as much as she was anticipating his reaction. "You were an unexpected friend but I'm glad you came into my life. You taught me a lot. I really hope you do well in life." Clary's words were genuine but there was so much more to say, so much that couldn't be said there and so much that she didn't know if she could ever say.

Jace gave her a tight smile and averted his eyes. Clary again felt the stabbing dissapointment in her chest again at the impersonal reaction.

"So, who goes next? Clary, continue." Magnus piped up.

Clary asked Isabelle to kiss Simon for fun but ended up having to physically pull them apart. Their game progressed with everyone having a go. They had finished their food and were talking amongst themselves. Jace and Helen stood up and said that they should get going, and went on their way.

"We should pack up too, we have to drop Clary home by 9, Jocelyn's order." Alec said.

All of them got up and packed up their stuff, and walked on to the car.

"Bye, guys." Clary waved her friends goodbye as they pulled away from her door and sighed. Another day successfully survived. She went in, kissed her mother on the cheek and fell on the bed and closed her eyes, exhausted from the day.

* * *

Jace had dropped Helen at her house a few minutes ago. Wayland gave him the car for the night like he did on every night he had a _job_ for Jace. He had no right to say no without terrible repercussions for his family so he had to grit his teeth through every one of these disgusting nights. He tried to distract himself from the thing he was about to do. Immediately his mind went to the tiny girl who was always a welcome reprieve from all his tension and stress.

God! He missed her like crazy. Helen was great company but nobody could replace the honest freedom he felt with Clary. With her, it wasn't as if he was taking a break from his problems, it was as if for that time his problems didn't exist at all. It was kind of a high, and he craved that, specially on a night like this. He was at a total loss about where he stood with her but if what she said was any indication, she was done with him. She wished him luck for the rest of his life, only a person who had no intention of being in your life and wanted a polite way out did that. He exhaled forcefully, he didn't have time to think about her, he had a job to do.

Jace pulled in the mall and bought a suit as he had been instructed to do. He changed in one of the trial rooms and stuffed his jeans and t-shirt into a bag.

He buttoned up the crisp white shirt and tucked it in the royal blue trousers. He got the black belt with black and gold rimmed buckle on. Finally he pulled the blazer on and did up the two buttons. He exhaled deeply and looked at his reflection in the full length mirror. He looked good. Smart and suave, just what he needed to be. He ran his hand through his hair, brushing it back. He picked up the bag and took one final look at himself and left the place.

He had come in as Jace Herondale, the student and left as Will Ross, the _business_ associate of Michael Wayland.

He got into the car, throwing the bag in the backseat and went back to the Wayland Manor. Michael always had last minute instructions. He pulled up in the driveway and cut the engine. He made his way carefully into the manor, looking out for Kit. He couldn't afford his brother seeing him. His mother knew that he worked in Wayland's business but not what his job description was, she was better off not knowing that.

Jace walked up the polished stairs and knocked on the mahogany door of Wayland's office. Hearing a gruff, "Come in." he pushed the door open and let himself in.

Michael Wayland was a sturdy man. Old but fierce. He was in a dressrobe, smoking a cigar and leaning on the table which had tons of files and loose paper strewn on it. Jace sometimes helped with the file work too, but Michael preferred to do the numbers himself.

"Ah, Jace, dressed to impress, I see." Michael blew out smoke.

"As instructed, Sir." Jace looked at the ground as a sign of submission and respect.

"Good. Now look up, my boy. You have to understand how sensitive today's deal is. If you mess this up, my whole foreign exchange safety falls through and so foes your family's future, specially that little brother of yours."

Jace's eyes snapped to Wayland's, a familiar shiver going through his spine at the mention of his brother, "I won't mess up, Sir."

"Good boy."

Jace internally sighed in relief at the mildness in Michael's voice. He used everyone Jace loved as a collateral for his mistakes and this frustrated Jace to his wits end. He would've taken a few hits here and there but his little brother or his hardworking mother shouldn't have to deal with anything. He had never messed up before, since the time he started to work for Wayland. The reason was simple, he could be very persuasive when he wanted to and then there was the incentive. His incentive worked with almost every woman he had come across and even some men. He had to judge when to offer the ultimate gift to confirm the deal.

"You know I love you like a son and wouldn't want anything to happen to the people you love, so don't make me." Michael said, turning around and going to the window which overlooked the garden.

Jace scoffed, "A son whose father you killed and sometimes like to pimp out for business." he said to himself.

"Did you say something?" Michael whirled around to face him.

"No, Sir. Just that I will carry the job out perfectly." Jace said, voice not wavering even once. He had gotten used to masking his emotions and portraying fake emotion. He would be an amazing actor.

"Now, go."

Jace nodded sharply and left, shutting the door quietly behind him. He sighed, shoulders deflating. Another night of unwanted physical love with older women or, if his luck was very bad, men.

He was thankful that Michael had no idea about Clary otherwise he would try to harm her too. It was in moments like this that he felt thankful that Clary was staying as far away from him as possible. He was about to leave when he heard a soft voice call his name from behind. He turned around to see his mother with a mop in her hand.

"Where are you going ?" Celine asked, laying a light hand on her son's shoulder. She was a tall, beautiful woman, who always looked tired now. Like a beautiful cherry blossom after spring is over.

"Work for Michael." Jace replied.

Celine's eyes filled with sadness, she cupped her son's cheek, "I wish I could protect you."

Jace smiled sombrely and put his own hand over his mother's and leaned into her affectionate touch. "It's just a business deal, Ma."

Celine laughed humourlessly, as if she knew what these'business deals' ensued, "I wish you didn't have to do this."

At her motherly touch and voice full of anguish and regret and helplessness, tears sprang to the back of Jace's eyes. He took both of his mother's hands in his own and squeezed, "I am absolutely okay, Mom. The person we both have to protect is Kit."

Celine pulled her elder son down and kissed him on the forehead and laid her head on his shoulder.

Jace held his mother, who obviously knew more than she let on, to his chest and tried to show her that he was okay, that she didn't have to worry and worsen her health. He wished he could take all of the responsibilities on himself but that wasn't possible. After a few minutes he let go, "I have to go." He leaned down and kissed her cheek and walked out to the car.

Pandemonium was crawling with people drinking, dancing in skimpy clothes. Jace scanned the place for anyone out of place, who was suspicious but didn't find anyone. His phone suddenly dinged. He took it out and saw a message from Wayland.

 _Go to GreenWood Hotel and knock three times on the door of 377 and then try the handle once._

Great, straight to the hotel room.

He needed something to drink before. He went to the bartender and asked for whiskey neat. He must have looked older in the suit because he wasn't asked for ID although he had a fake one waiting in his pocket. He got his drink and downed it at one go. His dad had once said that loosening up a bit helped with being stuck in unwanted situations. He knew he shouldn't but who the hell cares. He scanned the place once more and took off.

He unlocked his car door and was going to get in when he saw a tiny person struggling with something on the other side of the street which was surprisingly desolate compared to the club side. That was the library. He walked up to the person was saw that it was Clary trying to juggle three bags and lock the door at the same time.

"Let me help." Jace picked the bag which was balanced on her arm and another between her knees.

"Thanks." Clary turned to him with a relieved smile which fell when she saw who he was. Jace felt the familiar dissapointment at her expression but thankfully she didn't refuse his help. She locked the heavy, old lock on the door and pocketed the keys.

"My father said to lock up if he was late to return from the shop." Clary suddenly seemed to notice his dressed up state and looked him up and down which made him feel weirdly vulnerable, like she would be able to tell what he did, what he was going to do. He never wanted her to know, now. He didn't want to whine even more about stuff that he thought was wrong in his life. There were other people who were struggling even more, she didn't need to hear his sob story which was comparatively better.

"You are awfully dressed up, any special event?" She asked amusedly.

"No," She looked at him curiously, "I mean yes, yes there is, uh, I have a.." Jace stuttered under her scrutinizing gaze, grasping at an excuse to be wearing a suit on a weekday.

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me." Clary said, dissapointment clear in her voice.

"I have a job from Michael which needs dressing up." He said, as truthfully as he could. Hoping against hope that she wouldn't ask questions but that was Clary, he knew that she would probe if things seemed unusual to her.

"Okay." Clary said, surprising him, which must've showed on his face, "What, why are you surprised?"

"You didn't ask any more questions."

She crossed her arms indignantly, "I am not nosey."

"You kind of are."

"Am not!"

"Are too."

"Am not" She took a step towards him in agitation.

"Are too" He teased, a smile breaking out on his face on it's own accord.

"Am not." She was almost on top of him which she didn't seem to realise.

"Are too." He whispered, leaning down near her ear, and tucked a curl behind it, enjoying the shiver that went through her. He pulled back a little and looked into her unguarded eyes, filled with barely restrained passion. He touched their foreheads together, loving her warm breath on his lips, her closed eyes and open lips in anticipation of his own. He closed his own eyes and just touched his lips to hers when his phone dinged. The spell broke and he pulled back, clearing his throat. Clary opened her eyes, looking at everything but him. He pulled out his phone and saw another text from Wayland telling him not to screw things up and hurry.

"Fuck!" He cursed under his breath.

"Um, I have to go, I'm getting late." He apologised to Clary, sizing her expression up trying to figure out if he was welcome to continue after he came back.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks for the help." Her tone squashed any hope of getting another chance.

He smiled tightly and jogged over to his car. He got in and sighed, keeping his hands on the wheel. He shouldn't have reopened his wound right before a job.

Perfect. Just when he thought things could get better for him, the world found a way to screw him over, sometimes literally.

He started the engine and swiftly drove out towards the hotel his prospective was waiting in.

* * *

He entered the posh hotel, and went up the receptionist behind a glass table. He had gotten out of the car and taken off his blazer and rolled up the sleeves of the white shirt to his elbows and opened the first button of the shirt and ran his hand through his hair, trying to perfect the tired, business person facade.

"Excuse me, Ms. Aline," he read her name tag, "I am here to meet a friend in room 377, they should be here."

"Okay, wait a moment please, Sir." Aline went to her computer and entered some data, "Yes, Ms. Black is expecting you, Mr. Ross?"

"Yes." Jace said, throwing in a charming smile just for good measure. So it was a Ms. Black tonight. This should be easy, if luck was in his favour, Ms. Black would be into men.

"Just take the second elevator to the third floor and walk down the aisle, you will get the room."

"Thank you so much, Aline."

Jace followed her instructions and found the room 377. He stood in front of it for a while, then took his phone out and silenced it.

"Here goes nothing." He murmured.

He knocked on the door three times firmly, and tried the door knob once and waited. He heard a shuffling inside after a few seconds and schooled his features into a blank slate and put a charming smile on his lips.

He heard the door click from inside and somebody pulled it open.

"Welcome, Mr. Ross." A sultry voice said.

His smile dropped seeing the person standing in front of him in a sheer nightgown and lace lingerie.

The person looked up from his shoes and got a similar shocked expression on her face, all act gone.

Jace found his voice first and broke the awkward shocked silence.

"Helen?"

 **A.N: There you go. I know I am the worst person ever. I updated months later and ended on a cliffhanger. But you people are very nice so please review and tell me what you think.**

 **I'll update soon, I promise. If you tell me what you think, it inspires me more.**


	14. When life gets in the way II

**Well, I decided to make the last chapter two parts because it was getting too big. So, this is part two. And I know I am very late, I just lost inspiration for the story and most of the things in life. I am so glad to have been able to write this. I'm sorry for letting you down.**

 **I need reviews on both chapters! You guys have been awfully quiet, I can't gauge your reactions.**

 **Enjoy the story...**

 _He heard the door click from inside and somebody pulled it open._

 _"Welcome, Mr. Ross." A sultry voice said._

 _His smile dropped seeing the person standing in front of him in a sheer nightgown and lace lingerie._

 _The person looked up from his shoes and got a similar shocked expression on her face, all act gone._

 _Jace found his voice first and broke the awkward shocked silence._

 _"Helen?"_

They both stared at each other, dumbfound. Helen quickly looked left and right if anyone had seen their exchange. On finding no one, she pulled Jace into the room by the arm.

"What in the wide world are you doing here?" Jace asked, completely confused. Had he gotten the wrong room? Was _Helen_ Ms. Black?

"I could ask you the same question." Helen crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"I had some business. Wait, are you Ms. Black?"

Helen pulled her robe closer, although it wasn't doing much to cover her body. "That is the name I gave at the reception. So, you are the person who came to make the deal?"

Jace felt flustered, he couldn't tell how much she knew therefore didn't know how much information he should divulge.

"You tell me first."

Helen sighed and sat at the edge of the bed. "Look, we both know that we were not here for some amazing thing. We were both probably instructed to do this, unless you are the ringmaster?" She raised a brow.

"Nope, I am working." Jace walked over and leaned against a table at the corner of the room.

"If this isn't awkward." Helen's massaged her temples.

"Tell me about it." Jace joked, trying to diffuse the situation. "You might want to get some clothes on. I'll go outside and wait." He turned to leave when she stopped him.

"No, wait. We don't know who's watching, we can't have people know that we know each other."

"If they had been watching, this mistake wouldn't have happened. You wouldn't have been sent."

"Still... I'll just get an actual robe on." She went to the bathroom and got a bathrobe on and came out and sat on the bed, patting the place beside her, motioning Jace to sit down.

He took his place beside her and turned to face her. "So, how long have you been doing this?"

"Actually, this is my first time."

Jace's eyes widened slightly but he regained his composure. "What were you told to do exactly?" His eyes ran over her body, indicating her clothes or lack thereof.

"Um, I needed some money and ran into this woman at a bar, a lesbian bar." She nervously started picking at her nails.

The news came as another surprise to him, but he didn't care what gender she was into.

"So, I don't have any chance with you?" He joked.

She chuckled, "Nope."

"That's a let-down." He smiled, feeling the situation lighten.

"I need money because my parents are not very accepting of my sexuality and I need to move out of here and get a place of my own and get a job, etc. So, this woman I was talking to said that she had something for me but I had to act a bit. I was a bit sceptical but then desperation won. So, I chose to take the job, without knowing the description."

She looked up at his face, "This morning, I received a bunch of paper and some money and a text which said to come to this hotel wearing lingerie and wait. Somebody from some other dealer was gonna come and I was to get them to loosen up a bit and then make sure that they took the agreement with them and brought them back signed by their boss, sealing the deal. And I was to make their night a bit _special_ so that they would surely come back and I would get the deal done."

She laughed humourlessly, "I needed money, but didn't think that I was gonna go for prostitution. So, I guess I lucked out that it was you and not some creep who would force themselves on me." She shrugged.

Jace nodded slightly, remembering how scared he had been in his first deal and how he had tried to cover it with determination because Wayland promised him a few more bucks and they needed the money. He hadn't expected anything other than words, neither had Michael mentioned anything. He had been thirteen for God's sake!

He didn't have many friends and knew what sex was vaguely. No access to the internet and taking care of a tiny brother tended to cut out natural human awareness growth. He remembered the first time he went through a deal, he was a stuttering mess. The other party had been an older woman who saw the lanky handsome boy, just growing into his frame and decided to take a little advantage. He didn't even completely understand what was happening. He had wanted it to stop but Michael's warnings had run through his mind. And the woman had guaranteed the deal if he went through with it. So, he shut up. Never uttered a single word. Laid there like the dead and let her have her way with his body.

He had been a very pudgy kid, so when he hit a growth spurt and grew about a foot taller and his face got angular, he had loved it. His body, his face and the new attention it got him, the turning heads and the respect. But that night had changed it all. He had felt like probably it was his body's fault that the woman had been provoked, he had felt like his looks wasn't something to flaunt. He had showered for a long time that night and had suddenly burst into tears, holding his little brother who didn't know what was going on but being the happy kid that he was babbled on in his baby voice and looked at Jace with large, bright eyes. Jace knew then that he would do anything for that little baby in his arms. Absolutely anything.

Michael had probably gotten a feedback because before the next job, he clapped Jace on the back and had asked him with a lewd smirk to loosen up and make it fun.

That had pretty much been it. He had never told anybody, not even Magnus. Even though that man had saved Jace from totally going insane. Since then he had learnt a lot and found that taking control helped get through it a bit easier, it was like tricking himself into thinking that he wanted it. By now, he had mastered the art of seduction but every time left him feeling that same amount of filthy that he did the first time. At least that was better than the suffocation it brought for a while, the trapped, feeling which left his heart racing and chest heaving, trying to get in much needed fresh air.

More so, after Clary came around. He had just done one job while they were dating and every second felt like he was cheating on her. And she had actually seen him. He couldn't reveal what he did so he had skirted around the conversation, turning defensive and messed everything up. For good or not, only time could tell.

"Yeah, but luck won't always be on your side. Just give me the papers, I will give them back to you later, I'll text you the date and address. And, Helen." He gripped her shoulders tightly and looked deeply into her eyes, willing her to understand the severity of the situation, "Get out of this right now. This business is a mess. You will get sucked into it. Your parents will see the truth someday but once you get lost here, you won't be able to find your way out. So just, after this deal is over, leave and don't see that woman again. Do you understand me?"

She nodded, "Why haven't you? Left, I mean?"

Jace dropped his hands, "I can't. I'm in too deep." He placed his head into his hands and sighed. He felt Helen place a hand on the middle of his back and press lightly. She squeezed his shoulder comfortingly.

He straightened and pulled her in for a hug, suddenly needing to be held, "It is not late for you. I'd hate to see anything bad happen to you. You are a good friend, Helen." He said softly.

"You too, Jace. You too."

Jace pulled into the garage of the Wayland Manor and got into the backseat to quickly change. The night had not gone according to plan. He usually changed before sneaking out on whoever he had spent the night with. He pulled the T-shirt over his face and carefully folded the suit and put it in the paper bag that came with it.

He got out of the car and went to Michael's office. He knocked and got no answer, so he pushed the door open. Michael wasn't there. He debated putting it off till the next morning but didn't want to deal with that man before starting his day. So he looked for him through the house but Michael was nowhere to be found.

That was very unusual. Michael never went out, it was almost like he couldn't go outside his mansion. Jace walked around the premise and found him in the bed of roses. He had a silk robe on and was cutting flower.

Jace cleared his throat, making his presence known.

Michael slowly turned around, "How are you back so early? Did you mess it up?"

"No, I have the paperwork here," Jace gave him the bundle of papers that he was carrying, "You just have to sign it and I'll return it."

"You have gone through it like you're supposed to?"

Jace went over every line of every contract for Michael but with the shock of seeing Helen, he hadn't this time, but if he admitted so, he would have extra unpaid work to do so he just chose to lie.

Michael asked for a pen which Jace produced from the pocket of his jeans, Michael swiftly signed the papers and gave them back to him.

Jace took them and walked back to his home.

The light in the secluded room meant for them in the huge garden was off. It wasn't a surprise, it was very late in the night, almost morning. He slowly pushed the wooden door open and tip-toed his way in, being careful not to kick something which would wake his family up. He kept the papers in his school bag and stashed it in a corner softly.

"Jace?" a soft voice called out.

"Mom? What are you doing awake?" He turned to see his mother lying on the only cot in their home with his brother cuddled into her side. She raised her head looking at her elder son.

"I wasn't. You know how light my sleep is. You just came back?"

"Yeah, and I'm not hungry, don't worry." He walked up to his mom and kissed her on the forehead, softly and ran his hand over his brother's head, affectionately. The little boy shifted and burrowed his face further into his mother's chest. Jace's lips lifted in a small smile seeing Kit sleeping adorably. All he went through, everything he did, was to keep this little boy's sleep as peaceful as it was right then. He would shield his mother if possible but Celine was his mom, she would never hide while he took everything that was thrown at them.

His stomach was rumbling, he just hoped his mother couldn't hear or she'd get up and try to fix him dinner. He scanned their mini fridge and saw that it was dangerously low on food, he took a mental note to go grocery shopping the next day. He drank a full bottle of water to shut his stupid stomach up, at least water came free in Idris. He pulled out the cloth bundle that served as his bed from under the cot and spread it on the floor beside it. His mom had been complaining of back ache so he gave her his pillow a while back and never saw getting another one for himself as a useful investment, so, he laid down, pillowing his head on his hand and sighed.

"One day successfully survived, onto the next."

Clary decided to skip school next day, thinking that missing one day wouldn't matter. She called Isabelle at the last moment and could almost hear the pout on her face but then she relented and asked Clary to take rest and that she would try to keep the crazy at bay for one day.

"Clary, since you are staying home, could you help me with lunch? I have a painting to finish." Jocelyn yelled from the kitchen.

Clary groaned, getting out of bed. There goes her hope of lying in bed all day.

"Go finish your work, I got this."

Jocelyn smiled and kissed her daughter on the forehead who wiped at her forehead, scrunching her nose, "Yeah, yeah, bribery."

Jocelyn laughed and went to her room, leaving Clary to brainstorm her way through the kitchen without actually bringing in a storm.

"Okay.."

Clary went about the kitchen, looking for ingredients to make lunch.

"Great! There are no vegetables! Mom..ugh!"

Not getting any answer from her mother, she went to her room. Jocelyn was mixing paint on a palate and slightly dancing to the music she was listening to. Clary walked up to her mother and pulled one of her earphones out.

Jocelyn looked up, "What? Gave up so soon?" she raised a brow and gave her daughter a lopsided smile.

"Nope, never. But there are no vegetables in the fridge."

Jocelyn face-palmed like she suddenly remembered something, "Oh, yes. I was supposed to go shopping yesterday but got caught up painting."

Clary sighed at her mother's forgetfulness, "Just give me some money, I'll run to the store."

Jocelyn smiled, "You rock!"

"Yeah, yeah, now hurry up woman." Clary chuckled. Most of the time it felt like Jocelyn was her friend and the 'mom' came out when she did something wrong.

Clary walked into the multipurpose store and made her way to the grocery section. She hummed under her breath walking down the aisle, with one of the shopping bags hanging on her arm. She started tinkering with the things on display, and putting things in the carrier. She suddenly heard a commotion in another part of the store and turned around to see what was wrong.

She saw a woman, who looked about her mother's age, scolding a child for something very loudly. The child has his back turned towards her but looked very scared. The woman started screaming at the little boy, who probably broke her phone because she was waving a phone which had a long crack on it's screen and didn't seem to be working. It looked like it was pretty expensive. The woman was taking all her anger and frustration out on the boy who was shaking and looking down. The boy suddenly burst into tears.

Clary had enough and started walking towards them intending to protect the shuddering child from the woman's wrath.

"You little idiot! Do you even have an idea about what you have done!"

The boy wailed even louder, the scene was gaining spectators and the store manager was looking uncomfortably, as if contemplating intervening.

"If you were my son, even then I would have given you a tight slap, beggar's kid. You have no idea how much you have cost me, you bastard!"

Clary was shocked at the tone used by the woman, more so by the silence of the onlookers. The kid had stopped wailing and was just sniffling. Before she could step in, a taller figure stepped in and scooped up the kid and stood in a protective stance, shielding the child from the woman.

"I understand you have been wronged, ma'am, but he is just a child. He meant no harm, I can assure you."

"How, is he your brother or child?"

"No, but he seems to be of the same age as my baby brother. And what in the wide world would he gain by breaking your phone?"

Clary realised she knew the defined shoulders and the tall figure and more importantly the sure voice defending the young boy.

"I know that this was an accident, maybe, but he is a homeless kid, who knows what he was planning. And why do you allow these people in your store?" The woman looked at the manager who opened his mouth to tell something but Clary had had enough.

She stepped in beside Jace, "With no due respect, miss, he is a child and his residence is none of your concern. It was an accident and you were aggrieved but I'm sure you will be able to replace that phone, or should I run a fund raiser in our school so that we can raise enough money to pay for the damages? I'm sure the school board won't be against helping the poverty stricken." Clary said with an honest innocence in her voice which was thinly veiled sarcasm. She heard many people choke in a laugh. A few teenagers burst out laughing and a few dudes started clapping.

The woman looked flustered and looked down before mumbling, "No need." And walking away.

Clary shook her head dismissively at the woman before turning to see the little boy hiding his face in Jace's neck and holding onto him tightly, he was still sniffling. Clary sighed and rubbed his back with a comforting hand before looking at Jace's face. She couldn't help but smile at the very familiar and very much missed smirk adorning his lips. He nodded, acknowledging her little showdown with the irritating woman.

"That was something."

"Tell me about it." He replied with a smile, looking at the boy he continued, "The poor boy is terrified, he is still shaking."

Clary touched the boy supportively again, "Hey, buddy, that scary woman is gone. You're safe."

The child nodded and looked up from his hiding spot, and looked down at her and again nodded. "I did not mean to break her phone. I was trying to find my sister. I got lost. I think I saw her and ran."

"It's okay, dude, we'll help you find your sister. But first what is your name?"

"Kai."

"Okay, Kai, can you tell us where you live?"

"Yes, my sister taught me." He scrunched his little face in concentration, "Something like, shelter,.."

"Homeless shelter?" Clary prompted.

"Yes! That. We have lived there all my life. My sister is sixteen, she is about your height." He pointed at Clary, "She is very pretty like you, but she does not have fire hair, she had black hair."

Clary's eyes bulged at her hair being called "Fire hair'", it was the nicest kind of dig at her hair.

"Let's go find your sister, buddy, before your hair catches fire too."

The child looked alarmed, he clutched his head with both hands, "My hair, catch fire!" He looked worriedly at Jace, trying to confirm the fact. Jace solemnly shook his head, "This fire haired girl doesn't know anything."

"I don't want her hair, yours is prettier!"

Jace chuckled at that and Clary looked pointedly at him. The older boy leaned in and whispered, Dude, let me tell you a secret, your hair is the prettiest."

The child giggled, "My sister is the prettiest."

"Okay, can you walk now? I need to get a few things, dude." At his nod, Jace put him down but grabbed his hand.

"Jace, I have to buy some groceries, could you wait, I want to help." Clary asked.

"I need groceries too, I had gathered some but I don't know if the bag is still there."

"Let's do some shopping then."

Jace motioned for her to go ahead with a wide smile on his face, she dramatically curtsied, drawing a laugh from both the boys, and marched ahead.

They found Jace's basket intact and moved around for Clary's things.

"Can you pick me up again? I like to be so high. It's nice."

"Sure, dude." Jace picked the small boy up and put the giggling child on his shoulder, earning a gleeful shriek, "This is even higher."

"Now you are the king of the world." Jace announced while Clary was smiling her face off.

They spent the next half hour smiling and laughing, teaching Kai the name of the vegetables and fruits, Clary got coriander leaves in her hair thrown by a very naughty little boy at the instruction of an equally naughty boy who was just a bit taller.

They went to the cash counter and billed all of their stuff and the manager gave Kai a candy before leaving which made him very happy. They were just outside the store when Jace put Kai down and Clary grabbed his hand.

"Clary."

"Yeah?"

Jace came closer to her and leaned in, making her heart speed up, "Clary,"

"Hm.." she said, breathlessly.

"Clary.. you have coriander in your hair." Jace whispered and pulled out the leaves and booped her on the nose with it and drew back laughing at her irritated and shocked face. He and Kai high-fived each other, much to her annoyance.

"I won't talk to either of you now! One calls my hair fire and the other drops coriander on my hair." She said, playfully.

"Okay, okay. Kai, apologise." Jace motioned for him to copy him.

"We are sorry, Clary." They said, holding their ears with tiny pouted lips, Kai was almost laughing.

Clary smiled and shook her head. She smacked Jace slightly on the arm and grabbed Kai's hand again, squeezing his cheeks. They waited for the light to cross the road, just before they moved, Jace leaned in and whispered softly, "I like the fire hair very much." Making her blush the same color as the traffic light stopping the cars.

They walked to the nearby homeless shelter. Jace walked up to a reception kind of booth, "Excuse me, could you help us find one of your residents?"

"Name?" The woman sitting asked without looking up from her computer.

"Uh! We don't actually know her name, but she is young, around twenty, black hair." Jace said, lying about her age because there was no way she could've stated her correct age and gotten to keep her brother with her and he didn't want to blow her cover.

"I can't come up with anything with those specifics." The woman finally looked up.

Jace pulled Kai forward, "This is her brother, maybe someone knows him?"

"Could we meet with people who take care of the people around here, you know, serve food and stuff, maybe who volunteer regularly?" Clary asked.

"I don't know.."

Someone called out from behind them, "Kai!"

"Scar!" The boy tore away from Clary's hand and ran towards a young but rough looking girl with tangled black hair, she was pretty striking and had a strong vibe around her but she smiled and kneeled down to hug her brother.

"Where did you run away? I looked for you everywhere but I couldn't find you. I was so scared, Kai."

"I got lost, Clary and Jace helped me." He pointed at the two teenagers.

Scar looked up, and walked up to them, "Thank you so much for helping him. I don't know what would've happened if you two hadn't brought him here."

"No problem, Scar, right?"

She nodded.

"Jace." He said, extending a hand which she took, "This is Clary."

"Hi." Clary said, timidly.

Scar nodded her gratitude towards them.

The woman at the desk came up to them. "Scarlett. You here again? I told you we can't keep you here."

"I'm leaving, Karen. You won't see me again."

"I better not."

Scar sighed.

Clary felt very awkward standing there while they were being thrown out. Before she could come up with a proper farewell, Jace spoke, "I don't want to be overstepping any boundaries here but that did not sound good."

Scar scoffed, "The homeless don't have any boundaries. But yeah, we have overstayed our welcome. I work but I can't have Kai in school and feed him at the same time. Add house to that list, and it's impossible." She didn't seem like a person who liked to show weakness but she looked lost and near tears in that moment.

"Live with me." Jace said. Scar looked up at him surprised. "I mean, I don't have a very glamorous life and in my one room with my mom and brother and me it would be a squeeze but it's better than nothing."

"I couldn't."

"You can." Jace stepped towards her to solidify his offer and took her free hand in both of his and stared into her eyes, "Scar, I know exactly what it feels like to be in your situation, you have it worse, because at least my mom was there. I know how it feels to be choosing between food and education and shelter, I know how it feels to want to give your brother a normal upbringing and education and struggling to make enough to feed him and go hungry yourself. So Scar, don't pass up this chance, this honest offer to help. Stay with my family, my mother and brother will welcome you with open arms, no questions asked until you are ready to share, if ever. You are very welcome in my home."

Scar looked conflicted, but not in a "I don't trust you." Way but in a way like she couldn't believe she met someone like Jace. Clary suddenly felt like she was intruding on a private moment, their gazes were so intense. A part of her felt irrationally jealous, Jace was just offering help and she knew very well why he felt so strongly but she was jealous that Jace was being so real with a girl he just met. She looked at Kai instead. The boy was hopefully staring at his sister.

Jace cleared his throat, breaking the intense tension, "Well unless you are a serial killer, which you don't seem like, you are very welcome to stay at my home as long as you want." Jace lightened the situation.

Scar laughed, "No, I am not." She looked at her brother, "What do you say, Kai, want to live with Jace?"

Kai jumped up and down in glee and nodded very happily which made Jace chuckle and ruffle his hair.

Clary thought she should interrupt, to say goodbye and wish them luck, "Well, that's great." They turned towards her, as if suddenly remembering she was still there. "I am so happy for you." She went up and hugged Kai and shook Scar's hand. "All the best, guys, I should get going. My mom will be waiting." She smiled, trying to be genuinely happy for the sweet boy and his sister and she was, but a pressure in her chest dampened all of that and made her want to flee. Just then her phone rang, "It's my mom."

She took the call, "Yes, mom?"

"Where are you Clary?'" Jocelyn sounded worried.

"I'm fine, I'm coming home in a few. Something happened and I got caught up. Something good, Ma, don't worry." Clary relayed everything to her mother and then ended the phone call. She turned to the rest of the group, "My mother invited you to dinner, she said that Jace you have a meal due and Scar and Kai are most welcome."

"I don't know," Scar looked to Jace for help.

"Please, it's the least I could do." Clary pressed.

"Yeah, okay why not." Jace smiled at her which she returned with a watery one of her own and saw a tiny frown appear between Jace's eyebrows.

"Okay, then," she cleared her throat, "Let's go."

"Welcome, welcome!" Jocelyn hugged all of them. Her energy was infectious and soon all of them were smiling. "Clary was supposed to cook but now it seems I have to, she won't be able to handle it or should I say, you won't be able to handle it."

All of them laughed while Clary made a face at her mother. She went in and kept her bag of shopping which had almost choked her hand to death down. She heard her mother telling all of them to settle down. She came out and saw them sitting on the couch while her mother had pulled a chair. Kai was on Jace's lap.

"Okay, there is no food yet, I should get cooking." Jocelyn stood up. "You kids entertain yourself."

Scar stood up, "Mrs. Morgenstern, would you mind if I joined you in the kitchen. I cook all the time, I could help?"

"Sure, why not? Come on." Jocelyn left.

Scar smiled and turned around to ruffle Kai's hair and smile at Jace who returned it with an equally dazzling one of his. She scurried off behind her mother.

"Jace, could I talk to you for a minute?" Clary asked.

"Sure." Kai sat on the couch and stared at the T.V which someone had switched on for him. Clary walked to her room with Jace tailing her.

She closed the door once they were inside.

"What did you want to talk? Anything important?" Jace asked.

"Yes, kind of. Did you think when you offered your home to them?" Clary asked softly.

"Yeah, I did. Honestly, I did it in a moment thingy but since the I have been thinking. I will be able to manage."

"Even Wayland? "

Jace ran his hand through his hair, "Yeah, that will be tricky but I think I can."

"As it is you and your mom and brother have a tough time in that house, with two more members…"

"We have gotten used to it, Clary. And Scar and Kai won't be a problem. Kit will have a friend and mum loves kids, she won't mind. I'll see if I can pull some strings with Wayland and get him to sent Scar to school. That girl will be in more danger without proper schooling. Jobs don't come by easy." He said, as if making a mental note.

Clary didn't like how he said Scar's name at all, with so much affection and care. "And what about you? Wayland won't leave you alone."

"I'm used to it. Wayland is on me all the time, and with two more lives added, it will be so much more worth it." Jace shrugged.

Clary frowned inadvertently.

"Clary, what is this really about? I can tell that you disapprove my decision."

"You just made it so rashly, I just want to make sure you thought about everything. I mean you can barely support your own family and Kai was okay but Scar is almos.."

"And that is my problem Clary. I will not separate them and Scar can contribute. She knows rough living. I know how it feels to be her, Clary. I can't leave her alone." Jace said, raising his voice a little. "Look, I appreciate the concern but I will manage, we will manage."

Clary scoffed, "You met her what, five minutes ago, and you've already become a we."

Jace frowned, "What do you mean by that?"

"It's just" Clary sighed, frustrated with herself and him, "You are trusting her so much without knowing anything but her name. You literally blew your cover. You told her about your family."

"And that is my business. I don't need to know more than her name, the fact that she has a brother to look after, who is well behaved, I might add, and was thrown out from a homeless shelter in front of my eyes to know that she deserves help. And I wanted her to feel safe, that is why I shared about my family and a little bit of my past. And yeah, I don't know her, but I will get to know her and I know enough for now. She won't blow my cover, I trust her. I will discuss this with both Scar and Kai later."

"Why do you trust her so much? What has she done for you?" Clary said, hating the desperation in her voice. "What if she betrays you?"

"I trust my gut." He said calmly, "I trusted you with my past _after_ I got proof that you were playing me so my decisions are not that sound but you haven't gone babbling, have you?"

Clary was shocked silent. She just shook her head, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. He just compared his relationship with her to a girl he met literally an hour ago.

"Okay, then, can I go?"

She nodded. Jace left, slightly shutting the door behind him. She ran her hand through her hair and pulled on the strands, trying to clear her head.

They finished their meal which was delicious. Clary was about to tell her mother that when Jocelyn said, "All of this was Scar. I was just standing there as a help."

"Wow. Scar, you can really cook. This was delicious."

Scar smiled, "Eh! It was nothing."

"My sister is the best!" Kai announced.

"She is, dude. I am learning that very quickly." Jace smiled at the little boy and back at the girl in question.

"She is great in the kitchen and has a sense of humour and a good heart, what else are you good at Scar?" Jocelyn jovially asked.

"Nothing, I'm really not that good."

"Oh, and modest. You are one of a kind." Jocelyn rubbed the girl's back in a motherly gesture. "You are welcome anytime in my house, and next time you come, do me a favour and help my daughter cook an edible meal. Clary, you are a great artist but a horrible cook."

Clary smiled at them, tightly. Her mother was just being her usual self and pulling her leg and normally she would be ready with a dig but this time, she just fought back tears with a smile. She drowned the rest of the conversation and went to the sink to keep the dishes. A few fat drops of tear escaped her eyes and she viciously rubbed them with the back of her hand, but the drops won't stop. She felt so silly for crying and being jealous of a girl she barely knew.

She knew she had no reason to cry, and that she should feel happy that she was a part of making two lives better but all she could do was keep the dishes and mumble an excuse and run back to her room and let the tears flow freely and unashamedly. She quickly rubbed her face at a knock on her door and asked the person to come in, turning away and opening a book and pretending to be engrossed in studying.

She'd thought it was her mom but was a little surprised to hear Jace sigh. She felt him sit on the edge of the bed. After a few silent moments he placed his hand on her shoulder, "Clary."

"Hm?" She couldn't manage more than a monosyllabic answer without her voice wavering.

"Look at me." His voice was soft, understanding. Nothing like the previous exchange of theirs.

"What?" Clary sniffled slightly, trying to hide her face, which still had wet tear tracks on it.

"Look at me, please."

"I'm studying, I'll talk to you later. Go get them settled in your home."

She felt Jace remove his hand and thought that he had truly taken her advice and another lone tear fell from her left eye and plopped down on her book, creating a tiny puddle which was drying by the second. She felt Jace's hand cup her face from behind and turn her round with a little force. He looked at her face, searching her eyes for any reason for her sadness but she wouldn't meet his eyes, preferring to look past him at the door. Staying true to himself, he didn't ask for an explanation, he never did when she was upset. If she wanted to share she would on her own, he just chose to support her instead. He wiped her tears with his thumbs and kissed the her hairline, pulling her in for a hug. She laid her head on his shoulder, and hugged him loosely, welcoming the comfort but not wanting to overstep. She took a few calming breaths and composed herself and tried to pull back but he still didn't let her go. He just pulled her in tighter and cupped the back of her head with one hand and ran his fingers through her hair, calming her down.

"I'm sorry." She apologised, softly.

"Shush. You don't have anything to be sorry for."

She pulled back a bit, "I shouldn't have reacted the way I did and shouldn't have gone off on you. You are doing a very good thing." she looked down.

"Hey," He cupped her face and made her meet his eyes, "You have nothing to feel sorry for. Absolutely nothing."

She nodded. "Okay."

 **A.N: There you go. Shorter than usual but it is a continuation of the last chapter. And I just wanted to end with a sweet Clace scene. What did you think of this chapter? If you have a minute to spare, please do tell me in the reviews. I will be elated and get a place to make my imagination meet yours. And favourite, follow, do whatever you want with your life, it's a free world. :) ;)**

 **All my love, Thea.**


	15. Can of Worms

**Hi people! I really hope you enjoy this chapter. So long, see you at the end of the chapter…**

Clary put the last book in her bag and zipped it shut. She grabbed the sandwich kept on the table and took a sip of the coffee meant for her father.

"Mom! I'm leaving."

She slung the bag on one shoulder and shut the door behind her and walked down the narrow road in front of her house to the main road. She pulled on the strap of the backpack, trying to ease the weight on her shoulder. She walked to the bus stand, and waited for the next bus to arrive. The bus crawled to a stop in front of her and a few people got off, she climbed inside and scanned it for a seat but as usual, in the morning rush, none of them were available. She walked towards the back of the bus trying to find a comfortable spot to stand. The short journey to the nearest bus stop from the school wasn't that uncomfortable. She got off and made her way slowly, checking her wristwatch to see how much time she had left before first period. Unlike most people her age, Clary still wore wristwatches in-spite of having a phone to check the time. She entered the school gate and walked down the parking lot to the building.

"Clary!"

She turned around, hearing her name being called. She saw Isabelle waving at her from beside Alec's car. She smiled seeing her best friend and waved back, making her way towards them.

"Hi!" Isabelle hugged her best friend excitedly.

"Hi!" Clary laughed her greeting, catching her friend's excitement. When boring school days start like that it makes things bearable.

"Come on, lets go and face the battle courageously." Isabelle announced and grabbed Clary's hand and pulled her towards the school, Alec following behind with his usual 'why am I even here' disposition. The only time Alec actually seemed to be enjoying anything was when Magnus was there to accompany him and both the girls found that incredibly cute.

"Baby, let the games begin!" Isabelle quoted.

Clary shook her head at the dorkiness of the pop music fan and took her belongings out from her locker and shut it's door. She turned to say goodbye to Isabelle to go to first period and saw Kaelie and her posse walking to their general way. She signed behind Isabelle which made the black haired girl turn around.

The haughty girls had almost passed them making Clary half release the breath she had been holding but suddenly Kaelie turned around, almost bumping into the girl behind her.

"Oh, hi! I didn't see you two there, our new leaves." She said saccharinely.

"Hi, Kaelie." Isabelle answered with an equal amount of sugar coated sarcasm.

"Hi, Clary. Won't you greet your old friend?" Kaelie ignored Isabelle and looked directly at Clary.

Clary put her hand up in a half wave, "Hello, Kaelie." The girl and the posse seemed like a very nightmare coming back. All that Clary was ashamed of and was trying to forget, almost had forgotten, was all those girls stood for.

"Well, you both look good, a bit bland for my taste, maybe even for your taste.." She paused challenging the girls, but continued on not receiving any answer, "Anyway, the underside of the leaf is always paler than the top."

"Surprised you know enough to make that reference." Isabelle smirked, "paying attention in Biology, are we? I did hear that the new teacher has brought an assistant, a college student looking for work experience." Isabelle left her accusation open ended but the allusion was crystal clear. "Well, if that increases your academic prowess who am I to question anything? All I want is what's best for you my dear friend." She flashed the slightly surprised girl a sweet smile, who returned the same.

Their exchange almost made Clary chuckle but she bit her lip to hold it in. "Bye Kaelie, see you around." Clary waved at her with their old wave which included wiggling one's fingers dramatically.

Kaelie was leaving when she seemed to notice something behind them, she smiled like a Cheshire cat, "Wow, another blast from the past for our dear Clary here."

Clary turned around to se that it was Jace taking something from his locker down the hallway, at that moment he looked up towards them and smiled slightly at her. She replied with half a smile and wave. He turned back to the work on hand and shut the door. When that obstruction was gone Clary saw Scarlett standing diffidently beside Jace, looking at some kind of a brochure. Jace tapped her shoulder and pointed at Clary. Scarlett smiled widely and waved on seeing her. Clary returned the gesture politely.

"Who is that bitch?" Kaelie asked generally.

"That is none of your business, Kaelie, stay away from her." Clary warned.

"Huh, okay." Kaelie narrowed her eyes at Clary once and then brought her carefully crafted smile back and walked on.

"Phew!" Isabelle exhaled, "disaster avoided. You did good, girl." She slapped Clary's shoulder supportively.

"Come on, let me introduce you to Scarlett." Clary took Isabelle's arm and pulled her towards them.

"Who is she?" Isabelle asked in a whisper.

"You'll see." Clary answered.

"Hi! Clary, it's so good to see you." Scarlett seemed genuinely happy to see her.

"It's great to see you too, Scarlett." Clary answered with a smile. "This is my best friend, Isabelle." She pointed towards Isabelle, "And this is Scarlett, a friend of mine."

"Hi!" Isabelle offered her hand which Scarlett took welcomingly, "Nice to meet you Scarlett."

"It's very nice to meet you too, Isabelle."

"Please, it's Izzy, all of my friends call me that and a friend of Clary's is a friend of mine, although I thought that I already know all of them." Isabelle looked at Clary with questioning eyes.

"We just met a week ago. And I must've forgotten to mention her to you." Clary explained. It wasn't the truth, she had not simply forgotten to mention Scarlett to Isabelle, she had not been very keen on spending any amount of time thinking about a girl who was currently living with Jace as if they were family. It was very petty of her but well, you can't help how you feel.

"It's good that we finally met, you are most welcome to hang out anytime you want." Isabelle kindly offered.

"Thank you. I will like some friends, even if Jace keeps me occupied most of the time, I am getting a bit bored of his face, no matter how pretty it is." Scarlett joked.

"Hey! The level of ingratitude is unbelievable!" Jace protested, feigning hurt.

"I'm sorry, did I hurt your feelings?" Scar turned to him and silently challenged him with her stare to start a debate.

Jace narrowed his eyes at her, sizing her, "Nah! Most people don't deserve the opportunity to see me regularly, you had yours, but now I see that how much one tries, the undeserving just can't endure too much perfection."

Scarlett raised one of her brows but before she could say anything Jace took Isabelle's hand and kissed it, "Milady, would you mind if I take pleasure from your gracious presence in the drudgery that the first period is?"

"The honour would be mine, My Lord." Isabelle badly curtsied and then chuckled.

Both of them turned around and continued to walk towards class in that ballroom entrance style, after a few steps Jace turned around and winked cheekily at Scarlett, who just laughed and face-palmed seeing Jace's antics.

She turned back around to Clary, "That boy is something."

"Hm." Clary agreed, "So, what are you doing here today?"

"I am starting school!" Scarlett said.

"Yeah? That's great." Clary said, curious about the details but not wanting to be unpolite.

"Come on, you can ask it." Scarlett said knowingly, "The question you've been dying to ask."

"What question?" Clary said innocently.

"How am I going to afford it." Scarlett said in an obvious fashion. "It's okay, curiosity is normal, I mean you were there for the whole thing." She shrugged. "Well, Jace's uncle has very kindly offered to pay for my tuitions. He was very nice to Kai and me, very welcoming. He gave us a room in his house, Jace's would be a bit of a squeeze, not that we minded, I mean anything is better than the state we were in, specially with good people like Jace and his family. And I am in on the other secret as well."

"What secret?" Clary asked, thinking about the extent of the information Scarlett had knowledge of.

"The fact that Jace goes by Wayland here to avoid the questions about his daddy issues. It was so kind of Michael, don't you think? To let his friend's son use his name and identity, I mean sometimes, identity is all that matters."

"Yes, very benevolent man." Clary said, the sarcasm evident but Scarlett didn't seem to notice.

"Well, Michael is supposed to come in today and see to the paperwork, you know they are complicated, given my background." Scarlett seemed genuinely impressed by Michael Wayland. For the perceptive and responsible girl Clary had thought her to be, she was acting very out of character. Or Michael had her actually believe that he was a good hearted person with his act that Clary was sure Jace was playing along.

"Yes, of course." Clary smiled, her mind running million miles an hour. Wayland was not a good person. From what Jace had told her, he couldn't have offered Scarlett and Kai refuge out of the goodness of his heart. He was a cold businessman, there had to be some price, a price that most probably Celine and Jace are paying, if not the poor boy alone.

"Oh! There he is." Scarlett smiled at someone behind Clary, "Do I look okay, I mean presentable? I haven't really have had to think about how I look in a long time."

Clary gave her a once over, her tall willowy frame carried the simple high waisted jeans and t-shirt she was wearing very well. Her waist length wavy black hair, which looked properly washed, was clasped by a single hair tie making a long pony tail resting on her back. She looked simple but striking, almost like Isabelle but not quite, Isabelle usually had much more glamour. Scarlett's outfit complemented her personality. Clary would've had an easier time if she had been mean but Scarlett was perfect, despite everything she'd been through, she was so strong and could look after her brother with dexterity. Everything Clary wished she could be.

"You look.. strong." Clary said.

Scarlett frowned for a second but smiled and nodded at her before walking towards Wayland, the sight of who gave Clary chills.

The way too loud bell sounded like music to Clary's ear. At last chemistry class was over. She was done with the pungent smelling liquids, she couldn't wait for the next class where it would just be her and her canvas left alone with her imagination. She saw that someone was collecting the protective goggles. She opened hers and gave it willingly to the girl collecting them sharing a relieved smile with her. Even the teacher's pet was glad that class was over. She slightly laughed to herself thinking about that while gathering her books. She walked out of the lab and went towards her locker, greeting a few people on the way. She saw Sebastian and his buddies hanging out in the corner of the stairs she needed to use to reach her locker's floor. She took a deep breath and pointedly ignored the group and avoided eye contact.

"If it isn't the famous Clary! Haven't seen you around your usual crowd recently. Fall out with friends?" Sebastian asked.

Clary didn't bother to answer. She walked on up the stairs.

"Wait, wait, wait. What's the hurry? You were very fond of me once." Sebastian grabbed her wrist which she immediately tried to pull back.

"Let me go, Sebastian." Clary warned in a low but firm voice.

"Now where's the fun in that?" Sebastian almost whispered, coming too close for comfort.

"Sebastian, seriously, let me go." Clary raised her voice.

"Good to see you haven't lost your pluck completely." Sebastian tightened his grip which made her struggle more.

"Hey, Seb, let her go." Some guy from his group of friends said, which Sebastian payed no heed to.

"Sebastian let go of my hand."

"Why? You quite enjoyed this before, I even remember you pushing yourself onto me." Sebastian snickered.

"Just let me go." Clary's heart was racing by now. There were a few people who noticed what was happening but no one came up to help her.

"I think she asked you to let her go." A hand landed on Sebastian's shoulder quite firmly pulling him away from Clary but she ended up getting pulled along and her books falling from her other hand. Clary saw a rather angry Alec behind Sebastian. He loosened Sebastian's grip on Clary's wrist and pushed her aside and stood in front of her, partly shielding her from any other attempts Sebastian could make.

"Alec Lightwood. Good to see you, my friend." Sebastian smiled sarcastically.

"Clary, go to your class." Alec quietly said.

Clary nodded, picking up the books. She walked a few steps up but turned around at the landing, curious to see how their conversation would end.

"I don't see you at all these days, we had such good times together, partying, getting girls.. oh wait, I forgot you are not into girls, are you?" Sebastian taunted. "Who knew Alec Lightwood would be a fag."

Alec visibly flinched but composed himself, "That is none of your business. I just found your company boring."

"Of course you did. As soon as Jace came to this school all you saw was him, didn't you? Perhaps you still do." He narrowed his eyes at the taller, blue eyed boy "Does that joker you seem to hang out with so much know about that? Maybe I should inform him, after all fags or not, cheating is cheating, or does it not count in your.. uh.. kind?"

Alec stood still for what seemed like quite a long time and then did something Clary would've never thought she'd see Alec do. He pulled his fist back with lightning speed and punched Sebastian right on the nose making him bang his head on the wall and fall down groaning and cupping his face. Blood was gushing out of Sebastian's nose and unrest was spreading through the crowd of students surrounding the scene. It was only a matter of seconds until a teacher comes upon the scene. Alec was looking at the bloody face of the one he punched like it was something foreign, like he couldn't believe he had caused such harm.

"What is going on here?"

Mr. Starkweather, their physics teacher was the one who had come up to check out the scene. He was average heighted but stooping, a man with lots of experience and an equal amount of grey hairs to prove it. He was generally quite understanding and had an endurable disposition so Clary was still holding on to the hope of not having to see Principal Rosewood's face.

"Why is Verlac on the ground?" Starkweather asked, glancing at Sebastian once an then looking at every face in the crowd for an answer.

"Lightwood punched him." Some random student said.

"Alec Lightwood?" The physics teacher seemed quite surprised to hear that Alec would or could do something like that. "And why, may I know, Alec?"

Alec didn't speak for a moment and Clary took the opening to interrupt, "He was protecting me,

Mr. Starkweather. Sebastian Verlac was harassing me and verbally assaulting me. He was intentionally making me uncomfortable and wasn't backing away in spite of my and his friend's warning. Alec asked him to let me go but he still didn't so he used a bit of force to make Verlac let go of me. Verlac then commented on Alec's personal life and called him unspeakable names. This was not at all unprovoked." She finished without letting anyone get a word in.

Mr. Starkweather frowned but didn't let his opinion show. "Somebody help Verlac to the infirmary. And the rest of you back to class, now. Mr. Lightwood and Ms. Morgenstern, you both can return to your classes as well, I will run this through the Principal and if need be, you will be called. That is unless you both want to go to the Principal now and complain against Sebastian Verlac."

"No, I think we are fine. We need some time to process, I am sure you will do your best to see the guilty punished, Mr. Starkweather." Clary stated.

"Yes, of course." The stooping man walked away, while the crowd thinned and someone took Sebastian away.

"Although this seems to be far from over, I suppose we are free for now."

Alec wrung his fingers nervously, "Yes, I guess."

"You should really get all that blood off of your hand and see if some of that is yours and if it is, get your hand checked out."

Alec nodded, looking at his blood splattered knuckles. He glanced at the spot Sebastian was lying, which had a few drops of blood fallen around.

Clary reached up and placed her hand on Alec's shoulder, "In my opinion, you did nothing wrong. Sebastian is a vile human being, he deserves what he got, if not more. He had no right to treat us the way he did. And you helped me, so thank you."

Alec smiled at Clary, "You're welcome, now go study or paint." He ruffled Clary's hair like he usually did with Isabelle, who generally protested, but it made Clary smile. She could use a brother.

Clary entered the art room and found that class had already started. The teacher knew her very well so she showed concern and heard Clary out. After finishing her story as briefly as she could, Clary grabbed an easel, a blank canvas and paint and brushes and pencils and took her favourite corner and tried to lose herself in the world of imagination. She made an excuse about not feeling well enough to go to the next class so the teacher wrote her a pass to stay and work on a project in the art room. She stared at the blank canvas trying to find inspiration to draw. She didn't realise how much time she had spent looking at the blankness in front of hr until she heard the bell ring. It was the last bell, so she couldn't waste more time in that room. She sighed but didn't get up.

"Clary?"

She glanced at the door, surprised to see Jace standing there.

"I thought I might find you here, Alec told me what happened, are you hurt?" Jace asked, walking a few steps into the room.

"I'm fine, nothing happened. I was just a bit scared at that time but it seems far away now." Clary answered with a polite smile.

Jace frowned, seemingly unbelieving and came up to her side. "Wow, blank paper. No ideas?"

Clary shook her head, sighing at the blank canvas in front of her. She scooted over to the left to make space for Jace to sit on the bench beside her if he wished to. He took her invitation and sat down beside her, looking at the same blank canvas, their elbows slightly touching, Clary' skin suddenly alive and tingling. She moved her hand away reflexively which caused Jace to move to the edge of the bench, leaving a bit of space between them.

"Remember," Jace started, "When I last saw you here, you were drawing my eyes" He chuckled, " I still can't figure out what makes them so interesting to you." He finished, never moving his eyes from the blank canvas.

"I do remember, I actually submitted that for grading in the mid terms and got the highest grade. All thanks to you." She smiled, looking at him in a sidelong glance and bumping his shoulder with hers, playfully.

He laughed, "It's all thanks to your talent and hard work, you can change the most boring models into something exquisite. If I was actually who I pretend to be, I would buy your artwork to hang on the walls of my house."

"Huh! I'm not that good." Clary played the compliment down.

"But you are." Jace turned to her and looked directly into her eyes. "You are the most special person I have ever met."

Clary's breath hitched, she didn't know how to respond and tried not to spoil the moment by getting flustered. Jace seemed to notice her discomfort and lowered his eyes and moved an inch back, "I meant one of the amazing people I have ever met, I mean, I met another one, rather _we_ met another one last week, Scarlett is something, isn't she?" Jace brought her up to lighten the mood but her mention pressed very heavily on Clary's chest. She just half smiled and nodded. They just sat in silence for a while before they were interrupted by Isabelle.

"Clary, the Principal has called you and Alec to her room." Isabelle said, looking anxious. "Sebastian's parents are here. After all he has done, they had the audacity to complain against Alec and you."

"Me? What did they say about me?" Clary stood up, confused.

"I don't exactly know but I'm sure we will find out soon." Isabelle shrugged.

Clary pushed the door and walked into Principal Rosewood's office.

"Clarissa Morgenstern, come in."

Clary saw that Alec was already there, sitting in front of the Principal's desk and a few feet beside him two people, presumably Sebastian's parents were sitting looking set on getting their way. Clary walked up to Alec's side and stood by him.

"I'll ask for a chair for you, Ms. Morgenstern."

"No need, ma'am, I'm quite fine, thank you."

The Principal nodded, "So, Mr. and Mrs Verlac are here to say that Alec physically assaulted their son and you were involved in it."

Clary kept quiet, neither agreeing or disagreeing with the accusation.

"Mr. Starkweather has ran me through the facts but the Verlacs here have a different claim. They say that the assault was unprovoked. Apparently Mr. Lightwood had it out with their son, some mater of jealousy on the field, and punched him for nothing and that you were .. for the lack of a better phrase .. throwing yourself at Sebastian Verlac and he merely tied to push you off because of your unwanted advances." The Principal finished. She sounded clinical, her tone didn't give away which story she was believing.

"That is absolutely not true, they have fabricated a story to save their son. I should be the one sitting here, charging Sebastian Verlac for harassment and assault. He was the one making unwanted advances on me, Alec simply defended me and himself. Sebastian also verbally assaulted Alec for his sexuality." Clary strongly said.

"Don't lie, you little bitch. You have been after my son for months now and now you are getting your friends to beat him up for what? Because he rejected you? He is too good for you and you can not accept that. If need be, I will press legal charges against both of you." Mrs. Verlac spit the words at her.

Clary was dumbfounded by such ignorant behaviour from an adult, she knew there were people like that but suddenly getting confronted by one made her faulter for a moment. She gathered her thoughts up quickly and placed a hand on Alec's shoulder to prevent him from saying anything, "This situation isn't fair. We both are minors, we will not answer any further question or respond to accusations without our parents in here."

"That is justified. We should talk about this tomorrow with every party involved and their parents in my office before school starts." Principal Rosewood said.

Clary nodded but she was dreading telling her mother what happened and she very well knew what Sebastian would bring up.

"Clary, don't worry, I will fix this. You are telling the truth and I will not let that boy get away with hurting my baby girl." Jocelyn said, caressing Clary's hair. They were sitting outside the Principal's office the next morning waiting to be called in. Clary's dad wasn't there, her mom had avoided telling her dad the whole thing because he would surely overreact in his passion to protect his daughter and Clary was uncomfortable bringing the gory details up in front of her father. She had briefed her mother about the most recent incident but left out most of the backstory. She hoped Sebastian wouldn't bring it up but who was she kidding, that vicious vindictive bastard would surely drag her down.

"Mrs. Morgenstern, Mr. Lightwood, both of you can come in now." A teacher said.

The Principal's room was quite crowded to say the least. Sebastian with his parents, Alec and his father and Clary and her mother took their seats in front of the Principal's desk. Principal Rosewood looked as poised as she usually looked, her brows free of a frown.

"So, I think we all know what has happened…" The Principal started,

"And what is that exactly, Principal?" Jocelyn interrupted, "My daughter and Alec who have been wronged by this boy are actually advocating their innocence in crimes against him?"

"Let's not come to any conclusions right now, Mrs. Morgenstern, let's again hear both parties out and peacefully find out a solution to our problem."

"Peaceful solution, huh!" Jocelyn scoffed and crossed her arms.

"Okay, so Clary, would you please start telling your side of the story."

Clary sat up straighter, "Yesterday, I came out of Chemistry class and was walking up to my locker which is situated on the floor above the Chemistry Lab when I was cornered by Sebastian Verlac at the bottom of the staircase. He was standing there with his friends when I passed them. He started talking disrespectfully about me, and when I tried to ignore him and walk away, he forcibly grabbed my wrist and didn't let go even after I asked him to, multiple times. Even some of his friends asked him to let go of me but he didn't. Alec came to my rescue and made him let go of my hand. He didn't hurt Sebastian, just pulled his hand off of me. Sebastian then turned his attention towards Alec and started commenting on him. Sebastian said things he shouldn't have, very offensive slangs about Alec's sexuality and did not stop even after we asked him to. It made Alec, who is the most level headed person I know, snap. Alec did not punch Sebastian unprovoked and I certainly did not 'throw' myself at him."

Clary could feel Sebastian staring daggers at her but she pointedly ignored him.

"Is that what happened or would you like to add something, Alec?" Principal Rosewood asked.

"No, that is all that happened." Alec said and looked at his father who seemed to be just taking things in.

"I wouldn't say that, Principal." Sebastian leaned back into his chair. "For months leading up to yesterday Clary has been after me. She wanted to date me but I denied. Yesterday she was pushing the limit so I grabbed her hand to get her to leave me. Alec must have misinterpreted it and may have thought I was harming his sister's friend so he acted on impulse, so I completely understand and don't hold anything against Alec." He turned to Alec, "I completely understand wanting to protect your friend. I have nothing against you, buddy."

Alec stonily stared at Sebastian, not reacting to his innocent act.

"However, I do request that Clarissa Morgenstern be asked to stay away from me in school." Sebastian concluded, looking at the Principal.

"Well," Principal Rosewood stood up, "I don't know what to say or who to believe. Both versions are very different. I should ask Mr. Starkweather for his counsel." She rang the staffroom and asked for Hodge Starkweather to come to her room.

Mr. Starkweather came in, looking quite annoyed, probably because he had been pulled out of class, "Principal Rosewood, I heard you called me."

"Yes, I need your version of the story, since I heard that you were the first teacher on scene."

"Yes, I was." Hodge looked at Clary who was almost holding her breath, "I just saw a crowd of students and Sebastian on the ground and Alec Lightwood standing there. Clarissa was there too but she didn't seem to have been involved in the physical altercation. That is as far as I saw."

"Thank you so much, sorry for the disturbance."

Hodge nodded and left.

"Okay, I have interviewed a few students who were present on scene and a few others. All have been speaking positively of Alec and Clary and vouching for their version of the incident, saying that that is the more plausible alternative." The Principal turned to Mr. and Mrs. Verlac with an apologetic face, "I really can't ignore that, I'm sorry."

"So my son should be punished should be punished for things that he never did?" Mr. Verlac exasperatedly exclaimed, "You must not ignore our contribution either."

Clary frowned, she felt as if that contribution would be the final vote. Of course the Verlacs would do anything to save their son. Principal Rosewood seemed to be caught in an ethical dilemma, "I'm afraid, I can't punish Alec and Clary without substantial proof or anything showing that what Sebastian said might be true."

Clary exhaled, if nobody outright lied, Sebastian wouldn't have proof to prove her guilty of anything.

"Wait, I think I know the perfect student to ask." Sebastian said, he turned to Clary with a celebratory smile, as if he had struck gold, "Principal Rosewood, would you be kind enough to call a student to your room, I believe Jace Wayland just might be the only one who has seen the true colours of Clary here."

 **A.N: He he he. I know you probably want to murder me. Cliffhangers are the worst but they are exciting. I'm so sorry for ending here but this time it was so that I can have a clear starting for the next chapter which I am writing right now. The next chapter will have some bombshells, some..okay.. a lot of drama and emotions, few characters who we haven't seen in a while making it back, and possibly a very special reunion.**

 **A tease for the next chapter in a cryptic manner: Every dark cloud has a silver lining.**

 **Love, love, Thea.**


	16. Turning Page

**Hi lovely people! Welcome back.**

 **It is 4 a.m where I am sitting and I have been typing since 9:30 p.m this night so I'm sorta delirious right now. This chapter will be a bit mushy, dealing with their feelings and where they stand. A little other things happen too, all over, this chapter is just as it's name suggests.**

 **Thank you for the reviews and favourite and follows. I adore every one of you.**

 ** _Jling ,_** ** _ Bastille's Club, evam0710, CarissaCampbell, sarjoo _****always a pleasure seeing your reviews, and _sarjoo_ should I give a disclaimer like "any resemblance to a person living or dead is purely coincidental."? ;) :) **

Clary sat with her heart in her throat as the minutes it took to call Jace from class felt like hours. She didn't know what was going to happen if the whole truth came out. She didn't care what the Principal knew or anyone else knew but her parents, she couldn't bear to see the disappointment on her mother's face if she came to know that her daughter had been that weak willed and taken such a cheated her way out of her problems. And she would be hurt that Clary had not confided in her about her troubles.

"Principal Rosewood, may I come in?"

"Yes, Jace, please do." The Principal stood up and walked around her table to the front of it.

Jace saw the gathering in the room and stood up straighter to his full height. He swept the room with his eyes, frowning at Sebastian and looking inquisitively at Alec and Clary.

"You might be knowing the cause of this meeting today." The Principal started, Jace confirmed with a nod.

"But, I don't understand why I am needed here."

"Well, while hearing both sides, I came to know of a few conflicting statements and simply need you to tell the truth. Sebastian here says that you can confirm that Clarissa has had behavioural issues and has been fixated on him."

Jace raised an eyebrow, "Clary, fixated on Sebastian Verlac?" He said disbelievingly.

The Principal turned to Sebastian, "By his first reaction it seems as if Jace can't fathom such a situation happening, what would you like to add to that?"

Sebastian raised one corner of his lips in a smile which left Clary's gut unsettled, "Of course he can't, just like my other peers. You see, Clary was very careful to not seem like she was crazy. The other student's won't be able to tell you something that Jace can because he himself has been at the receiving end of Clary's plans, rather plots."

Clary grabbed the hand rest of her chair tighter and looked at Jace to try and read his thoughts. His poker face was back on and nobody had the ability to read that expression.

"It is common knowledge that right after Jace started attending this school, Clary and he dated for a brief period of time before things ended very dramatically, if I might say so. You see, Principal, Jace here, received a heart breaking news that his girlfriend was dating him just to get to his money. It was proven by a very disturbing video in which Clary is seen admitting to a fellow student that she will get Jace to buy her expensive things to keep for herself and share with her friends. I am sure Jace can attest to that." Sebastian had walked up to the said boy and was staring at him as if he was daring him to make any move. Either accept and throw Clary to the wolves or deny and lie.

Jace's forehead creased in the slightest of irritated frowns and he looked away from Sebastian, directly at the Principal. "Yes, such a video exists."

Principal Rosewood seemed surprised at the admission. She turned to Clary, "Do you have to say anything?"

Clary shook her head once and looked at her feet.

"This is preposterous!" Jocelyn stood up in her passion to defend her daughter, she looked at the boys and Clary and then back at the Principal, "My daughter doing such a thing? I will not believe it."

"With all due respect, you better do Mrs. Morgenstern because that is what has been happening." Sebastian said

Jocelyn scoffed, "As if! I know what you have done."

"It's true, mom." Clary softly said. She raised her head and looked ashamedly at her mother. "I am so sorry that I didn't go to you for advice or confide in you about my insecurities and acted like that but I have put it all behind me and I am working on myself and trying to be a better person. And that video was taken without my knowledge and thrown largely out of context. Either way, it has nothing to do with yesterday's incident. I have not lied once, you have to believe me, Principal." She implored.

The Principal looked very torn, it almost seemed as if the thing holding her back was not her own judgement but some other thing she has to take into consideration. Clary suddenly realised what was happening. Of course all of this was just for show! The Verlacs had already made sure that their son would be spared and probably had made it worth the school's while. The Principal was just a pawn. There were people above her, people who spoke the same language as the Verlacs, the language of hard cash.

Clary bit her lip in frustration. She had lost before she even began to fight, there was nothing she or her parents could do to make things right.

"Well, keeping a lot of factors in mind, I can't help but agree with and believe the Verlacs." Principal Rosewood said.

Clary heard Alec exhale forcefully, probably having had caught up with the same fact as herself.

"After considering the incident, I think that.."

"May I clarify a few things before you take your decision, Principal Rosewood?" Jace interrupted.

The Principal sighed, "Yes, go ahead."

"I am well aware of the situations you have been presented with to consider. As an unbiased third party, let me clarify a few things for you. I am a student of this school and have way more insight into the relationships that my peers share than it is possible for you because after all, you are the Principal and juggle every thing while I am just concerned with myself and my peers." Jace threw one of his charming smiles at the woman, "From the moment I met Clary I know that she is a good person, a bit derailed but which one of us isn't? Yes, we dated for a little while and have been friends after. That video was shown to me and many others and at first I thought the same thing as others but after a bit of thinking and talking to a few people I found out that Clary had been filmed without her knowledge and her words had been edited to convey the meaning the person filming wanted to. Clary had no intention of 'using' me Sebastian is the one as my friend, Sebastian, here has told. She may have in the beginning but she has grown and changed and it takes a lot of courage to admit our faults and try to grow as an individual and change for the better and she has done it. And yesterday, it was Sebastian who was in the wrong because even if we don't believe Clary, given her past, there is no way a person like Alec, who is known among the students and the teachers as a person with the coolest of tempers, lost his cool for any trivial matter. I think any member of the staff will back my word about Alec. So I merely ask you to look deeper into the matter before maybe punishing the wrong person."

"Those are valid points Jace." Principal Rosewood nodded, "But, I think I have heard enough. Alec, even if you were wronged that was not a way to deal with things but with your reputation, I am letting you go with a warning. Sebastian, using abusive language is not a way to defend yourself either, so be careful from today onwards. Clary, on the other hand, your behaviour is very concerning. You will have detention for this whole month and attend sessions with the counsellor for the same duration."

Clary didn't say a word. She just looked down at her feet, trying to hide the tears that had sprung to her eyes. The person who had terrified her was getting away and she has to go through detention. In no amount of time this will spread through the school and the torture would start right over, all the whispers, all the hushed conversations once she entered a room, all those looks, judgement. She had been foolish to think she could outrun her mistakes.

"That is not fair!" It was Alec this time, "She has done nothing wrong, Sebastian is the one with behavioural issues, not her. I beg you to reconsider."

"Alec, I have made.."

"Principal Rosewood, you let a person with actual behavioural issues, a boy who thinks girls are his playthings and he can do whatever he likes with them and will surely grow into a man with the same ideology go without any repercussions. You are not only wronging Clary but the society at large. It is your job to show people like Sebastian what being responsible for their actions is." Jace had lost his cool, calculated face from before, he was visibly disturbed.

"You will not tell me what my job is, Jace Wayland." Principal Rosewood was getting angry too.

"Then I shouldn't have to remind you that instead of punishing the person with insecurities, you should try to get to the bottom of it. You promise a bully free, safe environment but what do you do to actually enforce your rules? A girl has been forced to become someone she isn't, someone she loathes just to fit in this institution which values financial prowess of the students' parents than their individuality and ideas. And bullies like Sebastian get away because of the slack in your administration which allows these negative things to thrive. There is so much difference in the people going to this school but no one respects that, instead they are busy trying to prove to each other how polished or how well off they are while the reality is that every one is as messed up as the other. There is a constant competition and people like Clary, sweet and innocent are forced to warp themselves into strangers to fit in. And you let people like Sebastian Verlac with loaded parents to get away with just about everything. Today he is verbally abusing a fellow student and just grabbing a girl's hand without her permission, tomorrow he could sexually assault someone, what will you do then?"

"What do you think you are, son? Putting such atrocious blames on my son?" Mr. Verlac spoke.

"I am sorry to hurt you, sir, but your son is up to no good and it's time some one tells him how to behave. I am nothing but a concerned friend." Jace's eyes were blazing, rendering Mr. Verlac and the Principal dumfound. He was too far gone in his rage against the system and the hypocrites running it that he had lost his discretion. Clary went up to his side and grabbed his arm and squeezed, trying to calm him down. Clary slid her hand down his arm and intertwined their fingers and rubbed circles with her thumb on the back of his hand.

The Principal looked somewhat impressed by Jace's speech. She almost smiled with pride at the young man with blazing passionate eyes bent on making things right but composed herself. "I can see that you feel very strongly for this cause and I will look into those matters. But for this particular case, I have made my .."

"I think it will be prudent of you to listen to him, Principal." A new voice spoke.

"Mr. Wayland, I did not expect you to be here."

Michael Wayland walked into the office and stood beside Jace who inconspicuously stiffened, "My son, he is many things but not a liar. If he says that this young lady is not in the wrong then she isn't. I believe them, I suppose my word hold some weight?" Wayland looked sharply at the Principal. His gaze seemed to hold a message which the Principal got.

"Of course, Mr. Wayland. Clary, you are free to go and continue your classes. Alec, same for you. Sebastian you will attend sessions with the counsellor and have detention for a month."

"But.." Sebastian seemed baffled by the turn of events.

"That is my final decision." The Principal nodded at Wayland who acknowledged it with an appreciative nod.

Clary almost had a whiplash from what was happening, she turned to her mother who looked equally confused but gave a small smile to her daughter. Clary had a feeling that in any case money had won.

"Jace!"

He stopped and turned around, letting Clary catch up to him.

"I just wanted to thank you, for sticking up for me."

"I told nothing but the truth, Clary." Jace smiled.

"Yeah," Clary returned it with a grin of her own, "But it was nice, you tried to save me from the ridicule that was sure to follow."

"I'll always protect you," Jace reached out and caressed the side of her face slightly, "After all what are friends for?"

Clary smiled, honestly from her heart, she was glad to have a friend like Jace. They may have rushed into a romantic relationship and she had been heartbroken when it ended but now, looking back, she saw that it would have never lasted. They were never friends before and were too young to have such a deep, passionate relationship without it all blowing up in their faces. She would rather have him as a friend than have him hate her for some mistake that she was bound to make or some situation they would have probably faced because the fires that burn the brightest flash out the fastest. Slow was what they needed, and with her unexpected victory, she was feeling hopeful.

"I really don't want to ruin this happy mood by bringing up your _father_ but what was Wayland doing there?"

"I have no clue, I didn't know that he was going to show up. He has been out of the house to deal with paperwork for Scarlett but coming to my aid is not usual for him." Jace seemed to be wondering the exact same thing as she was thinking. What was Wayland up to?

"Anyway, how is it going with Scarlett and Kai? They fitting in?" Clary asked, trying to divert the conversation.

"Yes, they are, very well, I might add," Jace grinned, "Kai and Kit are best friends already, I am seriously being replaced as the brother." Jace's eyes lit up while talking about his brother and the little boy he had come to care for as one. "Scar is a huge help to mum, I was afraid of the space problem but Wayland has been awfully weirdly kind and offered Scar a room of her own in his house. Kai stayed with her for two days and then cuddled up with Kit and mum. They are adorable, you should come over some day."

"I will, if I survive my mum's questioning after today." Clary joked.

"Yes, Jocelyn looked very confused in there, you have a lot of talking to do."

"Looking forward to it." Clary sarcastically said making Jace chuckle.

"You'll survive." Jace shoved Clary's shoulder playfully.

Clary acted angry and shoved him right back. He pulled her hair, and ran.

"You come back here," she chased after him, bumping into other people who gave them the stink eye, some students cursed, some cheered her on. She got close enough to grab the hem of his T-shirt and yank him back which made him lose footing and fall on his back.

"Not my beautiful blonde locks! Mercy! Time out, I call for time out!" Jace said, panting through laughs. He winced, sat up and rubbed his back.

Clary let it go and offered a hand to pull him up, "Get up you old person."

"Do not insult the aged." Jace said, taking her hand and pulling her down to the floor beside him and burst out laughing.

"You devil!" Clary cursed, rubbing her elbow which had bumped into the floor. She looked up and saw him laughing his head off. She started grinning as well. There they were, in the middle of a crowded hallway, crawling with students hurrying to classes, sitting on the floor and laughing their hearts out like two kids with no care in the world. Jace got up and actually pulled her up. They still had wide smiles from their laughing session. Clary just acted on her impulse and wrapped her arms around Jace's abdomen and pulled him into a hug which he returned. She stood on her toes and brought her arms along his back to his shoulder and pressed her face into his chest, feeling very light and happy after a long time. She felt him tighten his arms around her shoulders too and lower his chin to her temple. After a minute she pulled back, "Thank you."

"For what?" Jace asked

She just shrugged with a lopsided grin and walked away.

"Hey, Clary, I heard what happened. That Sebastian is pure evil I swear, but he got what he deserves, Alec said that Michael Wayland stepped in and got him what he deserved." Isabelle said, on the phone.

Clary was lying on her bed, with her feet up on the window sill. It was ten in the night, she had decided to take the next day off from school so she was up talking to Isabelle. "Yeah, that was unexpected."

"How are you feeling? I'm so sorry I didn't see you or call earlier."

"It's fine Iz, you have a life. I am feeling fine, good even. I had a long talk with my mom, she totally understood and said that she would find a way to tell dad so that he wouldn't explode. Today was not at all what I thought it would be. I feel really at peace."

"That's good. That's very good. I'm so glad."

"Me too."

"So, spill, Alec said that Jace went all protective over you and even shouted at the Principal and shut Sebastian's father up?"

"Not over me." Clary said abashedly, "He just got very angry over the general hypocrisy and the blind eye that every adult turns to reality in our school. He can be scary when he is angry."

"But you guys won so we have to celebrate." Isabelle turned to usual Isabelle talk. Anything marginally good happens and the girl is looking to celebrate.

"Izzy, what is there to celebrate?" Clary groaned.

"What is not there? We will be celebrating you successfully leaving your past behind and coming out of the other side in one piece. It's like closing a chapter."

"When did you turn so poetic?"

"When my best friend has started to feel happy after such a long time." Isabelle said, making Clary smile. "Seriously, Clary, I can hear it. Nothing seems to be keeping you down. It's nice to hear you so .. free."

"I feel free. I think it's because my mom knows. My darkest secret is out and it went quite well." Clary said, "Also, I think it's because I truly saw that I have moved on from what happened with Jace and we are in a good place right now. We are good friends, it feels right."

"As glad I am to hear that you are happy but please don't squash my dreams of seeing you two together! You guys have chemistry." Isabelle pleaded.

"Well, too much of it can blow things up, so I think I'm good." Clary laughed.

"Okay, whatever makes you happy." Isabelle said grudgingly, "There goes my OTP."

"Seriously, Izzy?"

"Okay okay, I will just let you sleep now. Dream of your _friend_ preferably with the clothes off."

"Izzy!"

The other girl just giggled and hung up the phone. Clary shook her head at her best friend and kept her phone beside her and pulled the covers to her chin and closed her eyes, imagining a future where she and Jace could get together when they were older and have a steady relationship with just as much passion as they shared now.

Jace entered his home, going to the bathroom to wash all the dirt and grime from working at the garage. He changed into clean clothes and came out, wet hair sticking to his neck and dripping water down his back, drenching the loose, worn t-shirt he was wearing. His mother was probably in the mansion doing chores, he shook his head vigorously, splattering water everywhere.

"Jace, stop!" He saw Scarlett holding one hand up in front of her face, trying to shield herself from the water droplets and rubbing the ones on her face with the other. Jace grinned and went closer to her and did the same thing earning a few shoves.

"Ew, get a towel."

"This is way better." Jace said cheekily.

"Are you a dog? No? Then get a towel and dry your hair like humans."

Right then a hurricane in the form of two small humans came into the house. Both of them shouting and running around Jace and Scarlett.

"Kai, Kit, cut it out!" Jace said loudly. Both of the boys stopped screaming and stood looking up at Jace like puppies might if their owner came home after a long day outside.

"How was your day, Jace?" Kit asked

"Celine taught us that today." Kai supplied.

Jace smiled and ruffled both their hairs, "It was a good day, little brothers."

Scarlett smiled at Jace's seamless inclusion of Kai into his family. "Okay, now Kai, Kit, tell your brother to be a civilised human being and get a towel and dry his hair instead of spraying the entire house."

Kai ran up to the rack which had the towels and fetched one and held it up to Scarlett, "Scar, do it for him like you do mine when I don't dry my hair." He said innocently.

Jace raised a brow making Scar almost blush, "He's not a kid."

"Please, Scar." Jace said, making puppy dog eyes at her.

"Okay, sit down."

Jace went and sat on the edge of the cot his mother and brother slept on. Scar walked up in front to him and started to dry his hair, softly squeezing and rubbing the locks of hair to dry the water like she did to Kai. Jace exhaled and closed his eyes. Being cared for felt good, his mother used to before his brother, before he became too grown up and didn't let her take care of him anymore, preferring to see to her needs instead. The motions of Scarlett's hands felt good, comforting. He unknowingly leaned forward and rested his forehead on her stomach which tightened at the contact but relaxed a second later. He felt very tired and almost drifted away but was woken up by a crash outside the house. He straightened and looked at Scarlett who seemed to have heard the sound. Both of them hurried outside to find an unconscious Celine on the ground beside the rose bushes which she must have grabbed before falling, and two scared little boys over her.

They hurried over, Jace knelt down and turned his mother over on her back and shook her, trying to wake her. "Mum, mum!"

Scarlett grabbed the boys and pushed them behind her back.

Jace patted Celine's cheeks to no avail. He checked her pulse, it was strong, thankfully. He palms had scratches and cuts from the rose thorns. "Scar, go bring some water, hurry."

Scarlett came back with a glass of water which Jace sprinkled on his mother's face and intermittently shook her and patted her cheeks, "Mum, mum, I need you to wake up. Mum?" His heart was beating very fast, anxious and scared for his mother's health. His hands were slightly shaking, he felt Scarlett wrap her hand around his, around the glass and take it from him. She proceeded to sprinkle water on Celine's face.

"I should call an ambulance." Jace said, getting up.

"Wait, she is regaining consciousness, you stay here, I will call it." Scarlett said, getting up.

Jace kneeled down again by his mother's face and called her again. This time her eyes fluttered open, she seemed disoriented for a second but then tried to get up and failed, groaning back to her prostate position.

"Take it easy. You collapsed. Scar is calling an ambulance, you're going to be all right." Jace said.

"No. No, ask her not to, I'm fine." Celine croaked out.

"No, you're not."

"Jace, love, please, ask her not to. Listen to me please." Celine said, a bit stronger now.

Jace sighed and asked Scarlett not to call the ambulance. He eased a hand under his mother's shoulders and another under her knees and picked her up, surprised because of how light she was. His mother has always been slim but she looked a bit too thin now. He went in the house and placed her on the cot, asking Kit to arrange the pillows. He rested Celine's head lightly on the pillows.

"What happened, Mum?"

Celine weakly smiled and pulled her eldest son down so that she could reach his face. She cupped his face with one hand, "Nothing, Jace. I am just exhausted, I went to the doctor a while back, he said the same. Exhaustion. I just pushed myself too hard, I should listen to you more often and rest but you know how I am."

Jace wasn't convinced but still nodded. He knew his mother wanted to spare the medical expenses and sacrifice her health. She would never go to a doctor. He would just have to observe her symptoms and ask a doctor about it. Scarlett came to their side with a glass of something.

"This is just water with a little salt and sugar. Homemade ORS. It will re-hydrate you and give you strength. I will make you a bottle, right now drink this. I will give you a little bland rice with some soup later. Just rest and leave the work up to me."

Celine smiled at her and took the glass and drank it with Jace holding her up. She laid back down, "I'm so glad you came to live with us, Scarlett. You are such a sweetheart."

Scarlett smiled, "Now, just rest, please."

Celine nodded and closed her eyes. Jace pulled the covers over her and tucked her in and kissed her forehead.

Jace saw Scar go out to the boys and talk to them probably about Celine and brought them in. The boys were as quiet as mice when they crawled up to Celine's side and laid down, cuddling to her side.

Jace went out of the house and walked to the rose garden and stood there, staring at nothing, his mind running, trying to figure out ways to deal with the situation the best. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around, seeing the face he expected, Scarlet was looking at him with concern.

"Don't worry, she will be fine."

Jace didn't react.

Scarlett sighed and crossed her arms in front of her chest, as if she was holding herself. "I know why Celine didn't let me call an ambulance and I suppose you know too."

Jace nodded in confirmation.

"I will take care of her to the best of my ability but if this repeats, we have to get her to a doctor. Maybe Celine is wrong, I mean Michael is your uncle after all. I can understand her hesitation, with him paying your fees for school and all but he would surely help out, if you needed."

Jace was surprised for a second before remembering that Scarlett had a very different image of Michael, an image he himself had been working very hard to make Michael maintain. "I just don't know what I'd do without her. I don't know if I'll be able to hold things up if something happened to her. And I just can't lose my mother." Jace said, surprisingly near tears.

Scarlett cupped his face and made him look at her. "Nothing is going to happen to your mother. And don't forget, you have another person to stand by you now."

He slightly smiled, "I do. You are quite the rock."

Scarlett smiled, "That I am. When I lost my parents, it was sudden, a freak accident, a fluke, but it cost me my life. I had to be that rock for my little brother who was only three at that time. I had to learn to be a rock and I made it this far. I was readying myself to learn to be something else after we lost the homeless shelter but you found me and gave me a way out. I promise I will be there for you, always. I have always been a fighter but never for myself. After I lost my parents in that fire, I would have given up, if not for my brother. I always fight for the people I care about and Kit and Celine and you are on that list now. So don't ever worry about facing anything alone again." She caressed his cheek with her thumb.

Jace was dumbfound by the heartfelt things she said. He was familiar with the idea of fighting for the ones he cared about but having her say that to his face, with that much conviction, suddenly made him feel safe. He couldn't even reply with a measly 'thank you' despite the gratitude he was feeling, so he tried to let his guards down and let her see for herself. She seemed to search his eyes for a while, her own eyes glistening in the dim light from the streetlight a bit further away. She pulled his face down or pulled herself up but the next thing he found was his lips smashed with hers. He remained motionless for a while but responded with a cautious wade through the waters they were treading. She seemed persistent and wound her fingers in his hair. He pulled back for air and pulled her back in when she slightly nodded. Scarlet was not taking things slow at all, she softly nibbled his lower lip with her own and then caressed it with her tongue. She was tall enough so he didn't have to bend forward but still he pressed one hand under her shoulder blades to steady her and another cupped her face, pulling her in. They kissed for a while, both driven by the fight they had in them, the passion with which they cared about the people in their life and the similarity that they had found in each other. But maybe kindred souls and soulmates were two different things because even while he kissed a tall, willowy, beautiful girl who cared about so many things that he cared about, Jace found his mind getting dragged back to a time when he had to bend down a foot or crane his next to capture a pair of lips which sent his mind and heart into a frenzy, small warm hands on his nape.

They both broke apart, breathing heavily. Foreheads still touching, Jace quickly put his walls back up so that Scarlett couldn't see where his mind had taken him. She was an amazing person, a strong beautiful girl anyone would be lucky to call their partner. They had so much in common it was almost like they were supposed to be together. Even their kissing was in rhythm but Jace found that he still craved that unrhythmic, bruising meeting of lips and breath, the hilarious difference in height and the desync in thoughts and ideas and goals which blended into one person. And his heart had somehow syncopated itself to run to the beat of this jumbled mess. Scarlett smiled, seemingly exhilarated and Jace just smiled in return, not wanting to break her heart.

 **A.N: So, what do you think? Please please please tell me in the reviews, follow and favourite if you wish to.**

 **Love, love, Thea.**


	17. Inception

**Hi guys! This is my last update of 2018 and first one of 2019. Kinda fits with the theme.**

 **I want to thank each and every one of you who has reviewed. _Bastille's Club_ , _sarjoo_ , _Jling_ , _AFourAddict_ , _evam0710_ , _CarissaCampbell_ , _Ash2006_ , you guys feel like my friends, I look forward to your reviews each time. **

**Hi, to my new followers _ThereAreNoGoodNames_ , _SallyHerondale73_ , _Shannonsandfor5_ , and _britt2584_ , thank you for favouriting this story, looking forward to hearing from all of you. **

**Enjoy this chap... (Clace Clace Clace! Alert!)**

* * *

"Hey, you doing anything today?" Clary casually asked into the phone, suppressing her real excitement and holding Isabelle, who was leaning into her to listen what was said from the other side, off with one hand. 'Wait!' she mouthed at her best friend, throwing a glare at her for good measure.

"Huh?" A monosyllabic, muttered, confused answer was all she got from the tall, quite intelligent boy she was on the phone with.

"I asked if you were planning to do anything specific today." Clary repeated, guessing that her phone call had probably woken Jace up earlier than usual on a Saturday.

"Oh, I, huh.. I don't think so. Why?"

Clary smiled, picturing Jace just woken with his golden hair messy, sitting up rubbing the sleep in his eyes off, trying to make sense of her words and the urgency behind her early morning call. "Isabelle and I were thinking that all of us could get together and have fun like we used to. You, me, Isabelle, Simon, Magnus and Alec. We've confirmed with Magnus and Alec, they're up to it, Simon will go anywhere Isabelle will go at a second's notice, so that leaves you. So ...?" Clary waited for him to answer, "Jace..? Jace!"

"Yes, yes, I'm awake, I'm awake."

Clary shook her head, "Did you even hear what I said before dozing off?"

"Yep, somewhat, by the way, who calls at five in the morning about getting together with friends? I love you Clary but I love sleep too, so please consider my sanity and don't make me lose sleep." Jace said in a sleepy rant.

His offhand declaration of affection made Clary's heartrate increase, 'It's just something people say to their friends, calm down, nothing too exciting.'

"We were up all night so I didn't notice the time, although Alec did throw a pillow at Izzy when she went to ask him but Magnus was so perky, we didn't see that it's so early."

"Magnus is always on, how I don't know, I swear he probably knows magic or something, all that make-up and so little time to get dressed." Jace wondered, "Anyway, I was planning on seeing a doctor today in the morning but I'm free after. Say from about two in the afternoon?"

"A doctor? What happened, you alright?" Clary asked, her previous fluttery excitement faded away to an anxious concern.

"Yes, I'm fine. It's my mom, she fell ill the day before yesterday. She suddenly lost consciousness and fell, thankfully didn't hurt herself but even though she is writing off everything to tire and stress, I want to know if anything is wrong with her."

"Where are you taking her?"

"I was thinking about the government hospital, I can't afford a private appointment with a doctor, if anything is wrong with her, the medicines will be expensive as it is." Jace said, sounding like he had thought a lot about it.

"There is nothing wrong with the government hospital, low cost healthcare is a facility Idris has, so why shouldn't we take it. And Celine's probably right about the stress thing, she works so much, she probably just needs some rest and doting attention from her sons." Clary reassured.

"If that's the case, no one would be happier than me. But the first challenge is getting her to the doctor, my mother is very stubborn." Clary heard him sigh, probably thinking about the work that was cut out for him in the near future.

"Tell me when you want to take her, I'll give you some company." Clary asked, eager to help in any way she could.

"No, you don't have to bother, as it is you haven't slept all night. I'll manage, you go get some sleep now. And I have two extra hands in the form of Scar now."

Clary squashed the tingling under her left ribs and pressed her case, "I insist. I have enough rest, I slept over at Isabelle's and we slept through the evening and talked through the night, so I'm well rested. And I want to help, Celine's such a sweetheart."

"Okay, if you say so. Scar could stay home with the kids and you can come with me. It will be very nice to have you by my side." Jace conceded.

Clary smiled, "I'll go over to your house in three hours?"

"If you're up to it, you could come over now, if you have your car with you, that is. Don't try the public transport or walking at this hour." Jace warned.

"I do have my car with me, I'll be over in half an hour, I'll bring breakfast."

"Great, see you in a bit. Drive carefully, please."

"Always." She said and hung up the phone and brought it down, staring at it with a wide smile.

"You look goofy. Spill, what is going on?" Isabelle asked, taking the phone from her and plugging it in to charge.

"Jace's mom's sick and we are taking her to the doctor so we will join you guys late at lunch." Clary said, reservedly.

" 'We' as in you and Jace?"

Clary nodded, with a serious face, "He asked me to come over right now and I offered to take breakfast so I need help with that."

Isabelle stared at her for a few seconds, "He asked you to go over to his place right now? And you offered to take breakfast? Where did all the people working in his big beautiful mansion go? Don't they have someone who cooks?"

Clary frowned at the mention of people who cook for Jace and his family and was about to ask Isabelle what in the wide world she meant by that, but she realised that Isabelle didn't know the truth right in time, "I just thought it would be a nice thing to do." She covered, feeling guilty for hiding the truth from her best friend, but it wasn't her truth to tell.

Isabelle narrowed her eyes at her but then sprang into action, "So what are you waiting for, let's go to the kitchen and hope that we have bread."

* * *

Clary parked her car outside the gates of the Wayland property and called Jace who came out to the huge gate which was currently locked but no guard was in sight.

"I'm quite close with the security guard, he kindly agreed to watch out for Wayland for us, but he can't open the door, that's too much sound and movement." Jace almost whispered.

"Then how am I supposed to get in?" Clary whispered back, forcefully.

"Well, I was counting on your tiny stature and flexibility." Jace said in the previous fashion.

"Jump? Even if I did, the gate's almost eight feet high, Jace."

"Well, I am more than six and you are a little over five, so that make's more than eight."

Clary clenched her teeth and gave Jace a look. "And my things?"

"That bag can pass through the bars, I think."

Clary picked up the bag of food and angled it in a way to send each little container one by one through the gap through the bars and managed to get the whole bag through with a few curses and almost spills. Jace kept the bag beside him on the ground.

"Okay, now I need you to take off your shoes and throw them in first." Jace instructed.

Clary opened her sneakers and threw them through the gaps, aiming at Jace.

"Oi!" Jace avoided the shoes thrown at him by an annoyed Clary, "Okay now, there is nothing to climb these bars so I am going to place my hands out. You will use my palms as steps while holding on to the bars and get a hold of the top and then get yourself in, can you do that?"

"Yeah, why not? I do gymnastics and aerobics everyday, it's no big deal."

"Less sarcasm and more doing, please. We don't have all day. And they are my hands, not real steps, if you don't want to fall, move fast."

Jace outstretched his hands through each side of one of the designer, coiled bars of the gate and opened his palms and bent down to place them so that Clary could step on it. Clary doubtfully looked at her make-shift step and then just went for it. She grabbed two bars tightly, transferring most of her weight to her arms and placed her right foot on Jace's left hand, which felt weird.

"Ready?" Jace asked.

She nodded. She tightened her muscles and climbed up finding Jace's right hand a bit higher than his left and quickly stepping on it and repeating on the other side, internally marvelling at Jace's capability of holding her weight on one hand even if it was for a second. She scrambled up to get a hold of the top of the gate with one hand when she slipped and was left hanging from her hand which felt like it would tear. She felt Jace's arms encircle her legs and hold her up, relaxing the tension on her arm. She used this opportunity to grab the top with both hands, feeling like the fittest person on earth, and tried to pull herself up to no avail.

"Stand on my shoulder." Jace said urgently, grabbing one of her legs and pulling it through the bars, onto his shoulder and Clary tried to find another opening to do the same with the other. Finally Clary found herself awkwardly hugging the top of a gate, with her feet on Jace's shoulder, quite above six feet off the ground. She giggled and heard Jace laugh too, both trying not to make too much sound. She gathered her strength and brought one leg out and over the gate and then the other. Now she was sitting on top of a massive gate, her feet dangling in air and the solid structure digging into her butt.

"I can't do the same thing again, I'm not a body builder. My hand almost came loose from all the hanging!" She protested to which Jace smirked. "Don't smirk at me!"

Jace held his hands up in surrender, "Okay, you don't have to. Just jump."

"What? And break my neck? I think not."

"You won't break your neck, it's not that high. And I'm right here, I'll catch you."

Clary vigorously shook her head in the negative. Jace raised a brow, "So what? You want to stay there forever? Or should I call the fire department?"

Clary stuck her tongue out at him, holding the cold metal tighter in the fear of slipping. Jace frowned. Clary forgot her awkward situation for a moment and saw that Jace looked a bit different from up there, the only time she was taller than him. He looked bigger, if that was possible, in a way, she was closer to him from the top of the gate than when she is standing in front of him.

"Clary, just lower yourself, there is no way you're going to fall. Just trust me, okay." Jace said, raising his arms towards her like one might to a child they want to pick up.

Clary looked at the ground, then him and then to the ground and closed her eyes tightly and let herself go with a squeal and within a second found herself secure with Jace's arms around her thighs. He let them loose and let her slide down, within the encirclement of his arms and his chest, her top riding up in the process. Clary relaxed her scrunched face and opened her eyes when she felt Jace's warm breath on the cold tip of her nose. She found his amber eyes closer than they have been for months. Her arms were around his neck, holding on for dear life, and her tips of her toes were just almost touching the ground. Jace's arms tightened around her waist and hers around his neck. Her breath was coming out in puffs mixing with his between their faces.

"We took the 'catch me when I fall' too literally." Clary tried the awkward joke to veer her eyes away from his lips but they seemed to be stuck there.

"Hm." Jace slightly nodded, seemingly distracted too. She looked up and saw his eyes trained on her lips which made her bite the lower one. She saw him swallow and felt his arms tighten. He started leaning in, eyes trained on the lip she was holding captive between her teeth, and her eyes fluttered shut. Her heart thudding, or it could be his, with their chests pressed together, she couldn't tell which heartbeat was hers and which was his, both of them thudding equally hard and fast. Clary took a deep breath and held it, waiting for the first slight touch. But not feeling it for a while she opened her eyes and found Jace staring transfixed at her face. Clary brought her right hand back from behind his neck and slowly caressed the right side of his face with her fingertips, seeing him slightly shiver and close his eyes, parting his lips a little to take a shaky breath and release it in a rush. Clary kept caressing his face, slowly running her thumb along his cheekbone, enjoying the fluttering under his eyelids and the slight crease between his eyebrows and the way he pulled his bottom lip in when she reached the corner of his mouth with her index. She cupped the side of his face and leaned in and softly kissed his cheekbone, just below his eye. She moved down, not kissing but not removing her lips either. She dragged her mouth down to the corner of his, all the while breathing on his skin, warming his cold cheek. She kept her eyes open, noticing the changes in his face and his grip on her. She felt powerful, having the tall boy who was holding her cleanly off the ground shivering under her touch. She could feel that Jace wanted to kiss her but was leaving the reins to her, so that she could take things at her pace if she wanted to take things somewhere in the first place. She should have thought about the calm she felt a few days before because of the way things were in her life and not messed it up, but she didn't. None of that came to her mind, only the memories of tasting the same lips that she was about to taste again. She leaned in, again teetering on the edge of the fall and just slightly pressing her lips to the corner of his mouth, feeling warm breath on her mouth. She wanted to smash her lips with his so that's what she did, earning a startled groan from him. She held onto his back with her left hand and tangled the fingers of her right one in the hair near the nape of his neck, pushing his face into hers. He reciprocated with equal fervour and tightened one arm around her waist, holding her up, and another on her shoulder blades, moving it up to her neck and then cupping her face, pulling it into his. They kissed for a while, playing a game of giving and taking equally, breathing the same air. Jace tested the waters and asked for entrance to taste her completely, running his tongue slowly over her bottom lip, which she granted very eagerly, opening her mouth, welcoming his tongue and pulling on his hair, trying to get their faces in the perfect angle so that she could get the best access. Suddenly Jace let go of her waist, making her roughly land on her feet, and brought both his hands to her face, leaning down now, to get to her lips. They always had to do this, either he leaned a foot down or pick her up, she was so much shorter than him, but he never complained, seemingly enjoying the lean down or picking her up. She loved it when he picked her up, they were on a much better plane and she could press her whole body to his torso. This time he didn't pick her up again, slowed their kiss down and pulled away with a groan.

"I don't think Michael wants to wake up to this show in front of the main gate of his house." Jace said, breathlessly.

Clary was reminded that they were standing in front of a gate, she didn't have shoes on and they were supposed to be quiet and not draw attention.

"And I am here for your mother." Clary said, breathing heavily, looking at her feet.

"Right." Jace agreed. "We should go in."

"Right." Clary nodded but neither of them moved away or remove their hands from each other. Both catching their breath and trying to calm their racing hearts.

"We should really go." Jace said, touching his forehead to hers and then pulling away. They both looked at each other, wide eyed, lost for words for a moment and then broke into crazy smiles. Clary looked away first, not losing her smile, and got her shoes back. She picked the bag she brought up and dusted it and slung it on her shoulder.

Jace was running his hand through his hair, "Right. Okay."

Clary saw that his face was flushed, she laughed at his visibly flustered state, feeling the familiar butterflies. She took his hand and intertwined their fingers, squeezing reassuringly and getting a squeeze back.

They walked to Jace's cottage-like one room house and let go of each other's hand before entering. Clary saw Celine asleep with two little boys cuddled to her side on a bed which looked too cramped. But their faces were adorable, Clary wanted to take a picture.

"My mom loves to cuddle with Kit and Kai fit right in." Jace said, evidently fond of the sight in front of him.

Clary smiled at the information. "Let them sleep for a while, it's very early."

Jace looked at his phone, "Mum has to go to work in an hour, if she sleeps late and learns that I was awake and didn't wake her, she'll be very mad. But I really don't want her to work today, she does all of the cooking for Michael and then stays there at his beck and call, for tea or snacks or anything else he'd like fetched." He sounded vexed at the idea. "At least he doesn't make mum do the cleaning now, earlier she used to do that too. I don't know what made him so lenient suddenly."

"That's good. At least some of the workload has lessened." Clary said, not knowing the appropriate way to respond, "You know what, we could cook for her today, let's do it now, then Michael won't find out."

"You will cook?" Jace asked incredulously, "I mean sure, Michael could die of food poisoning for all I care but the staff is also fed that, and that includes me and I'd rather live."

Clary smacked him on the shoulder, "Fine, I can't cook, but you can, supposedly, and I can help." She stressed the 'supposedly'.

"No worries, good people, I am here." A new voice spoke.

"Scarlett." Clary greeted the girl. She looked showered and fresh, her hair damp and sticking to her neck and back, dripping water, which looked uncomfortable to Clary. Her t-shirt was wet at the back, and she had loose pyjama pants on.

"Hi, Clary. Nice to see you here so early. I am usually greeted by Celine and three irritated faces. Jace, good to see you up and about so early, no trying to break my neck by tackling me into being your side pillow today?" Scarlett asked cheerfully, with a teasing tinge to her voice.

Clary raised her brows, an image of Jace sleepily pulling Scarlett into his side and cuddling with her in the morning filling her head, she quickly chased it away and smiled, "I guess I saved your neck then, Scarlett."

"Yes, for today. May God have mercy on me tomorrow." The tall, dark haired girl joked.

"I don't think that you will be facing that from today onwards." Clary said, sounding disgustingly territorial to herself, who knows what she came off as.

"Good to know." Scarlett said, sounding like she said the exact opposite.

Jace cleared his throat, "Well, you can cook, so could you help mom today? We will take her to the doctor today in a few hours and after we come back I don't want her to work, I would stay but I have the garage and it'll be evening when I come back, if I can, I'll do two shifts today, I need to save up. Will it be too much trouble, Scar?"

"Jace, Celine has become my mom too, of course I'll not let her work today. And I don't think Michael will object. I'll talk to him."

"Yes, please do, you seem to bring out the good side of him." Jace said, "I meant better, kinder side of him, I always seem to catch him in a mood." He played his slip off.

Scarlett nodded. "I am waking the other's up, you guys can go wait outside. I'll have breakfast ready in a while."

"Actually, I brought breakfast for all of us, so you will need to make for Michael. That is if you are willing to eat my butter and cucumber sandwiches and scrambled eggs. I have soup for Celine." Clary interjected.

"You made soup?" Jace asked

"No, Maryse did. She was up early when Izzy and I went to the kitchen, she heard Jace's mum was ill and offered to cook, so we took it. I made the sandwiches, though. And Izzy cut the cucumber." Clary explained.

"Quite the team effort." Scarlett said.

Clary just smiled at her and then walked out as she'd asked, Jace following after. Clary saw Jace staring at her with smirking eyes for a while.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You are staring with that annoying smirk of yours, so what?" She left her question incomplete.

"I think you like this annoying smirk of mine." Jace said, with a full on smirk on his face, "In fact you were quite jealous of Scarlett back there."

"Jealous, of Scarlett? Why would I be jealous?" Clary tried to be nonchalant, praying that her skin didn't betray her and change colour.

"Because she wakes me up every morning." Jace came a step closer.

"So what? She's your alarm clock, ha ha." Clary said, humourlessly, deciding to play it cool and not say anything more but words came pouring out, "But who cuddles with their alarm clock? If someday your housekeeper comes to wake you up, would you pull her into bed? I mean, who does that?"

Jace chuckled, coming closer, "She exaggerated. I did that once, mistakenly, the first time she came to call me. It's usually my mom and I sometimes pull her in and let her play with my hair and cuddle with my mom, and in my sleep I thought it was her, I pulled away as soon as I realised that it was her. But, it was nice seeing you get all territorial."

"I wasn't territorial." Clary insisted, "Fine, maybe I was. But the way she was talking, like she was your wife or something."

"So why were you reacting?" Jace pushed, trying to get the answer to the one question looming, which Clary wanted too.

So she took the leap first, "Why wouldn't I? You are my boyfriend, not hers."

"Am I, now?"

"Why, don't you want to be?" Clary asked, walking into his personal space.

"I mean, we only kissed, once." Jace said, not losing ground.

"How many times do we have to kiss for you to be with me?"

"Maybe three times, no five times might do the trick." Jace said, leaning in. "So, should we rectify that?"

"We can," Clary leaned in too. "But later." She pulled back with a laugh and walked away.

"Come back here, you." Jace grabbed her hand and pulled her back and kissed her softly on the lips, both of them reeling from joy and smiling their faces off.

"Clary!"

They broke apart abruptly at the sound of Kai calling out to Clary. The little boy ran to her and hugged her legs, making her laugh and hug him back. A sleepy Kit was walking towards them too, a lot slower than his friend. He just slowly walked to his brother, motioned for him to pick him up and when he did, the little boy just snuggled into Jace's neck and closed his eyes again. Jace brushed hair away from Kit's eyes and carefully held the sleeping boy, shielding his eyes from the morning sun, and occasionally rubbing his back. He walked away from her, towards the flowers, taking a walk in the garden. Both of them looked relaxed and happy. Clary was glad to see the usual tension in Jace's shoulders gone while holding his sleeping brother. He was always most at peace with his family. She turned her attention to the little boy hugging her waist.

"Good morning, Kai. It's good to see you too."

"I haven't seen you in so long!" Kai exclaimed, "Are you staying with us today? Will you play with me?"

"I wish I could, buddy, but Jace and I are taking Celine to the doctor today, she was sick, wasn't she?

"Yes, she fell. We got scared. Kit was so scared, he thought his mom would die like mine."

Clary's heart broke for the little boy who had lost his parents so early.

"Jace was scared too. Scar took care of him, I looked after Kit. We know how scary it can be. Jace looked not scared but when Celine was resting, he went out and Scar too. I went to call them because Celine was sick and Kit and I were alone when I saw Scar hug Jace because he was sad and scared. She kissed him too, like you were kissing him right now. Scar told me that's how grown ups kiss when they want to show each other that they love each other. Kids like me can only kiss on the cheek." Kai finished solemnly.

Clary covered up here real surprise and smiled at the boy, "Kai, would you go inside? We are coming right after you. It's getting cold, you should not stay outside like this."

Kai nodded and ran in.

Clary walked up to Jace asked him to put Kit back to bed because he could catch a cold outside, even in the sun. Jace nodded and went to put Kit in bed. Clary saw Celine awake and gave her a smile while Jace tucked his brother into her side. She walked out, standing in the sun, enjoying the slight warmth of the winter sunlight.

"Why do I feel like you want to ask me something and are hesitating?" Jace came up behind her.

"Did you and Scar kiss? Ever?" Clary asked outright, staring at the roses with drops of dew on their petals like crystals frozen on the flowers.

"Why do you ask?"

Clary turned around and looked him in the eye, "Because Kai innocently told me that he saw you and Scar kissing the day before yesterday the way 'that grown-ups kiss'"

Jace sighed, "Yes, we did kiss, once the day before yesterday and twice yesterday."

Clary raised her brows, "What are you doing kissing two different girls back to back? Are you with her? Are you with me? What the hell are you thinking?"

"I am not _with_ her. Last to last night, I was upset, she kissed me. I was did kiss her back but all I could think of was you." Jace admitted "We had been broken up longer than we were together but still, all I thought while kissing her was how it wasn't you."

"So why yesterday? Why lead her on if you were not interested in her? And if you wanted me, why not talk to me? We were in a much better place, a good place, you could have just talked to me." Clary said, exasperated.

"I never intended on asking you out again or ever being with you again."

Clary moved back, "What? Why? You are confusing me."

Jace looked down, "I didn't intend to be with you because I felt that I was not good enough for you. I have a lot of responsibilities at this age which you should not have to deal with until you're like 30. I didn't want to weigh you down. So, yes, I did use Scarlett and that wasn't right, and I will apologise to her." He looked up, at her face.

"So what about today? What changed?"

"I don't know, honestly. I am just tired of denying myself everything and taking responsibility, I want to act my age for once. And I think that I should not take your choice away. So, here I am, with all cards out, I've shown you the possible future we could have and it's not very pretty. I will always have my brother and mum to look after, at least for the next ten years. I can't enjoy my twenties like most do. If you are with me, you'll somewhat face the brunt of it too. So I am ready to do this with you if you are, ready to accept me with all my baggage. But if I do, I am in it for the long haul, so if all you have in mind is till the end of high school, I'm not the guy for you. I can't be with you for a while and then lose you again. So think about it, and if you think you can't we will not start this again. And if you say no, don't worry about any ramifications, we'll stay friends." Jace said.

Clary was struck by the gravity of it all. Was she ready to make such a huge commitment? Even though nothing was being written or witnessed, she felt like she was being asked to enter a contract, a very serious one. She knew Jace was a teenager with an obscene amount of responsibilities but she suddenly realised that Jace wasn't a teenager at all. He was young just in numbers, mentally he had the next years of his life mapped out. A teenager was supposed to play trial and error for a while but with Jace, it was like he had found his place already and if she was to join him, she would have to share that place too. But she had no place to offer because she hadn't found hers yet. He was offering his himself but in no fleeting high-school fantasy. There was a finality that scared her. Every rational instinct told her to run, not to tie herself down so young, but that irrational part wanted to keep him and the freedom of having an unclear future.

"I.. uh.." She stuttered. She noticed the slight droop in his shoulders and the clenching of his jaw and the quick breath he took, already knowing her answer.

"I know that is a lot to ask from a person like you and it's unfair too. I'm sorry I asked. Just let it be, we can pretend today never happened." Jace said in a low voice and looked up at her with a smile on his face, eyes guarded. "Let's go in, we should eat." He turned to leave.

"Jace," she called him back, "You said I had a choice and then you didn't even hear what I had to say."

He turned to face her and waited for her to speak. She took his hand and held it to her face, "What I feel for you is no high school fling either. I am in this. For the long haul. We will figure the rest out."

Jace seemed surprised, "You sure? You can take time."

"I am as certain as I am of the fact that I love you, with all my heart, and am grateful to have found you." Clary said, with surety in her voice and her eyes.

Jace smiled, "I've never been happier."

Clary returned the smile with a gentle kiss to his lips, sealing the deal and signing her contract.

* * *

Jace was fruitlessly trying to control the excitement he was feeling. He felt sort of high on the way things had turned out. He tried to concentrate on the fact that his mum was probably sick and all the things that ensued but even that couldn't bring him down. He walked into his house following behind Clary.

"Clary, dear, it's so good to see you." Celine said with a smile.

"You too, Celine. How are you feeling?" Clary asked.

Celine gave her son a glare, "Of course, Jace told you. I'm fine, dear, just a little tired. My son worries for nothing."

"She knows everything, mum. And she is specially here to drag you to the doctor today. You won't listen to me, so I thought she might have a better chance at convincing you to look after yourself." Jace said, walking up to his mother and throwing an arm around her shoulder.

"You asked the poor girl to come all this way so early in the morning just to present a more unified front?"

"In my defence, she offered. And I didn't see the harm." He shrugged.

"Yes, Celine, I did. And you have to listen to me and come with us to the doctor. I even brought breakfast." Clary took out a container from her bag and held it out to Celine, "It's just some soup for you."

"You cooked this for me and brought it over at this hour?" Celine asked incredulously, taking the container from Clary.

"Well, I can't cook." Clary said, sheepishly, "Maryse, Isabelle's mom, you met Isabelle once I think, she was up early and saw us floundering in her kitchen and helped us out."

"Thank you so much, you didn't have to take so much trouble."

"Honestly, it wasn't any trouble. Happy to help." Clary smiled when Celine cupped her face in a motherly way.

Jace loved that the two most important women in his life got along so well, "Okay, I get it, you love each other, now let me get to the food." Jace joked, going through the two women to Clary's bag, "Kit, Kai, if you want food, come here, right now."

Both the little boys jumped down from the bed and ran to Jace, attacking the food. Scarlett came in with plates and forks and they sat down on the floor in a circle and devoured the whole bunch.

Jace shook the water off of his hand after washing up. It was warm in the kitchen of the mansion. He saw Scarlett come in with some stuff she needed to work with and keep them on the counter top. They were alone in the huge kitchen, all the others out back. They had finally convinced Celine to see a doctor and she was getting ready. Jace thought that it was time to talk things out with Scarlett. Even though they never talked about being serious, he owed an explanation.

"Scar, could we talk?"

"About?" Scar asked, not looking up from the chopping board she was using.

"Clarify things to see where we stand about .. us."

Scarlett stopped her work and looked up, "What about it?"

Jace scrabbled for the right way to put it when she interrupted, "I know, it's okay, Jace. I saw you and Clary this morning in front of the gate. It wasn't as if we were together." She shrugged, going back to the work on hand.

"You are an amazing person, Scar, I should have said something the first time we kissed but I didn't think Clary and I were in the cards. It sounds really bad but Clary will always be first for me and you deserve someone who puts you first. I'm really sorry for leading you on. I really treasure our friendship and your support so I hope you can look past this." Jace genuinely apologised.

"It's fine." Scarlett said with a smile. "You two look great together, and you're a great friend."

"So we're okay?"

"We're great."

Jace grinned and pecked her forehead and walked out.

* * *

They were waiting for Celine's reports. The doctor had ordered an immediate MRI of her head to rule out some stuff. Celine was massaging her temples, it turned out that she suffered from regular headaches and had never said anything. Jace almost bit her head off for not taking care of herself or letting him take care of her to which Celine just smiled and said that it was her duty to take care of him and he did enough already. In that moment Jace was pacing up and down the corridor they were waiting in, clearly agitated and anxious. Clary was sitting beside Celine, holding her things. She was feeling jittery herself. Not knowing what was going to happen was torture. With that one report lives could change forever.

"Clary, dear." Celine turned to her, speaking in the soft manner that she always did.

"Yes?"

"You see how my son tries to take every single burden on his shoulders. You are the only one who makes him happy, I am grateful for that." Celine smiled.

"He is .. different. Very different from the other people of our age. It's an honour to know your family, Celine." Clary honestly said.

"I know that asking something like this of you is unfair and quite inappropriate but I really have no other option." Celine hesitated.

Clary reached out and took her hands and squeezed, "You can tell me anything you would to your own daughter. I really won't mind."

Celine smiled, squeezing her hands back, "That is very kind of you. You don't owe me anything so this is a request. I have a feeling that the report is going to come out really bad." She swallowed and closed her eyes for a second, "I have no doubt that when I'm gone, Jace will take care of Kit, he always does. But I'm afraid no one will be there for my elder son." She sighed, looking down at their joined hands, "Jace, uh, he always acts as an adult, that boy has aged way faster than he should have. He loves us to bits and would do absolutely anything without a single complaint for us. He always tries to make sure I am fine and Kit is taken care of. I help to the best of my ability but if I'm gone, he'll be all alone. He is just seventeen, he shouldn't be doing this. I couldn't give Jace the life he deserves and am truly helpless now. All I ask of you is to be there for him when I'm gone." Celine looked up to Clary's eyes with eyes similar to Jace's, "He will need you. I can't dictate your relationship but I know that my son is happier when you're around and all I can do is ask for this huge favour, please just keep an eye on him, in any form, just as a friend, as more than that, whatever."

Clary was stunned into silence. She didn't know Celine felt so strongly about her that she was willing to entrust the well being of her son to her in her absence. She pulled the soft-spoken, kind faced woman into a hug. "Nothing is going to happen to you. And even if things don't go the way we want it to, I will always be there for both of your sons, you can be sure of that. I will look after them to the best of my ability."

Celine squeezed her gratefully, "Thank you so much, you don't know how much ease you've put my mind at."

Clary rubbed her back supportively, and pulled back. She kissed Celine's cheek and smiled at her, getting one right back.

"My mum will probably adopt you now, which will be really gross, because you are the farthest thing from a sister to me." Jace announced his presence, crossing his arms and looking down at the two hugging women.

"No, I won't adopt her," Celine smiled and touched Clary's face affectionately, "But I won't be opposed to her being a part of my family in some other way." She winked at Clary, making her flush red and look down.

"Mum, please don't scare my girlfriend away." Jace groaned.

"She's not one to get scared, is she?" Celine smirked.

"Okay, please focus on yourself for a moment, mother dearest. We need to get your report." Jace said and pulled his mother up.

Someone called Celine's name and waved the report. They took it and went back to the doctor.

The doctor studied the plates and frowned. She looked at their faces and asked Clary and Jace to go outside and wait. Despite not wanting to do so, Clary took Jace by the arm and almost dragged him out of the doctor's chambers, Celine's words ringing in her head. If her intuition had been right, then Jace didn't need to hear it from a doctor in public.

"Why did the doctor send us out, what do you think is going on?" Jace was wringing his hands, his knee bouncing nervously.

Clary kept a sure hand on his knee, "I'm sure she'll be fine."

"I hope so."

After a few minutes Celine came out, "Let's go home."

Jace sprang up, "What happened? What's wrong?"

"Nothing much. There is something the doctors call a hematoma in my head. They can't get it out without surgery but medicine should suffice for the size I have."

"What is that? I should talk to the doctor." Jace said.

"In the doctor's eyes you are a seventeen year old boy, she won't talk to you alone." Celine said.

"A hematoma is like a swelling filled with blood, right?" Clary asked, knowing that things didn't sound good.

"Yes, you seem to know your science well," Celine said.

"Hours of watching medical dramas on the T.V." Clary smiled.

Celine nodded in approval, "Nothing to worry about, it will just cause headaches, hence the painkillers. Nothing serious."

"It sounds pretty serious to me." Jace frowned.

"It is, if the thing was any bigger but it's not and it won't be. Now can we leave this place?" Celine asked. "I really want to lie down."

"Yes, of course."

They walked to Clary's car and she threw the keys to Jace, she still avoided driving if it was not necessary, and got in the passenger seat after helping Celine in the backseat. Jace started driving but Clary could tell that his head was mulling over Celine's illness and the extent of it. She raised her hand and softly touched his shoulder and started rubbing circles with her thumb. He gave her half a smile in acknowledgement and returned his eyes to the road. Clary glanced at the rear view mirror and saw Celine smiling to herself.

Clary's phone rang, it was Isabelle, "Hey, Izzy."

"When are you guys coming? Simon.. stop that." Isabelle reprimanded Simon for probably doing something stupid.

"Jace has work, he won't be able to join and I was thinking that I would keep his mom company for the day, so I won't be able to come either. Sorry, Izzy."

"Oh! My! God! You two are back together aren't you?" Isabelle shrieked in delight.

"Ouch, my ear, and when did I ever say that?"

"You don't have to, I can sense it. Gosh! You two are so cute! I call dibs on being your maid-of-honour."

"Isabelle, no one is getting _married_ " Clary whisper yelled, trying to hide what she was saying from the others in the car.

"But you will! And you'll make cute babies. You guys are the best! Tell Jace we all said 'Hi.' Bye, please do everything that I would do." Isabelle said, suggestively and hung up the phone.

Clary smiled and shook her head at her best friend and put her phone back in her pocket. "Isabelle and the others say 'hi.'"

"She seemed excited, I could hear her screaming from here." Jace said with a smirk.

"She was." Clary smiled and settled in her seat before sitting up straight, "Wait, how much did you hear?" She whipped her head around to face him.

Jace didn't say anything, just smirked in his signature devilish way and kept driving.

* * *

 **So? Tell me what you think as a New Year and Christmas present, please. Or favourite and follow the story.**

 **Love,love, Thea.**

 **Happy New Year 2019, I hope this year doesn't kick your ass like 2018 kicked mine. :)**


	18. Hiccup

**Hi people, back to back updates! My new year's present to you guys. You are so supportive and encouraging I can't thank you enough.**

 ** _Bastille's_** **Club** **, I love your long reviews and our conversations over P.M. You were the first one to wish me a happy new year, so thank you for making me feel loved.**

 ** _Shadowbabe123_** **, I'm SO glad that you're happy. Read on and keep expressing your thoughts over reviews, I love hearing them.**

 ** _CharlotteLS_ , Have a great 2019. I'm so glad to have made you smile on new year's eve.**

 ** _Ash2006_ , A lot of Clace is coming, hang on, keep smiling and reading and telling me what you think, you don't know how much I depend on you guy's opinion.**

 ** _Guest_ , So happy to know that you are enjoying the story. Get an account, it's free and really helpful, you can offline stories and follow and favourite them to get alerts when they are updated. And Private Messaging, we could talk more. All my love.**

 ** _l_** **eashybum** **, So happy to hear from you after a while. Enjoy this update and your year.**

 **HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone here. Enjoy.**

* * *

"Thanks for coming over." Clary said, running the comb in her hand through the end of her hair trying to get it untangled. She looked at the mess in her mirror, pulling at the knots in her hair which was of no avail. "Ugh!" She frowned at herself and took out her hair tie from the drawer of her dresser.

"No problem."

She felt Jace kiss the back of her head and smiled. It had been a week since they had gotten back together and things were too good to be true. It felt like a dream, everything was falling into place. Celine was doing fine, school was bearable, her friends had been hanging out more, the year was about to end and things were exactly how she wished they would be. Clary sometimes thought that it could be taken away from her in a second but she usually pushed those thoughts away and distracted herself with Jace's lips and he never minded.

Another surprising thing had happened, although if one thought about it, it wasn't so surprising. Isabelle and Simon had gotten together and Isabelle claimed that it felt real. Clary was very happy for her friends but that meant that she and Isabelle were seeing each other less.

Their school was putting up some end of year play with the middle schoolers and Clary was helping out with the stage design. Her art teacher had said that she had to be the one to personally feel the play and draw designs for the props which had to be built. It was a lot of work and Clary had to stay back at school almost every day but her talent being recognised and being trusted by a teacher to take so much responsibility felt good, so she sucked it up and gave in the long hours. You would think that she would enjoy doing what she loved but there was so less painting and drawing and much more of 'take that chair there' and 'make sure things are not torn and in place.' She had been collaborating with the head of drama and the middle school English teacher,

Mrs. Carstairs. She was a nice woman and so was her daughter, Emma. She was in eighth grade and head of drama for the play, she had become good friends with Clary.

It was a Friday and the school was closed because an important person on the founding committee died. No one cared and was happy to get an extended weekend but Clary and the backstage crew as well as the cast of the play had to be there to rehearse, and continue working. Clary had been dreading going alone. Usually, during school hours one, if not a few, of her friends popped down to the auditorium to skip class and keep her company. She's ask Isabelle to go with her but she'd made plans with Simon so she asked Jace to accompany her to the drudgery that the work had become.

"I got lucky that the garage was not opening today, otherwise you'd be stuck at work and I'd have no one to help pass time." Clary put the comb down and pulled her hair into a high pony with her hands and secured it with the tie she had around her wrist.

"Actually," Jace said, looking up from the books he was fidgeting with, "I called them to give me a day off and it turned out that the Mr. Singh, the owner, was taking the day off himself. And he said that he will be closed for quite a while, he's going to India for some festival or something. The good thing is, that's a month's paid holiday for me." He walked over to Clary and reached up and pulled her hair tie off earning a protest from her.

"Hey! What the hell!" Clary felt her hair fall around her shoulders and down her back in the uncontrollable curly way it always did.

"That's better." Jace said, "I like it, makes it easier to do this." He tangled his hands in her hair and leaned down and captured her lips with his, keeping her mouth to himself by gripping her hair.

Clary moaned in surprise, holding onto his arm to steady herself, and reciprocated for a second and pulled back to breathe, "Wow, okay." She said, breathlessly, "I'll leave the mane open if that's what it will get me."

"That sounds promising. Deal."

"Deal." Clary smiled, pulling him in to press her lips on his again but they got interrupted by her mother.

"Hey, hey, hey! That will be quite enough. In my house, nonetheless!" Jocelyn said, feigning anger, making the two teenager jump apart nervously. She walked over to Clary's bed and kept the folded clothes in her hand on it, "Clary, before you leave the house, these clothes should be in your closet in a respectable way, please." Jocelyn started to leave, but turned at the door, "Kids, please be safe, I'm too young to be a grandmother."

"Mom!" Clary watched her mother leave the room, after having successfully embarrassed her, with her shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

* * *

"Clary! Hi, come over here." She heard Emma call her from behind a structure that looked like one of those balconies of medieval mansions. "Look at this, they've done an incredible job on bringing your idea to life. This is perfect, my mom came around a while ago and said the same. Twelfth Night is going to be great!"

Clary walked around and saw that there were stairs to the landing where Emma was standing. She climbed up and stood beside her, "This feels surreal. Seeing people work according to my imagination."

"You have a good one." Emma said, bumping her shoulder with her own.

Clary smiled at her and looked over the whole stage and the auditorium, "This is a nice spot. You can see everything at once."

"Yeah, I feel like the referee in a tennis game." Emma laughed. "I hope all goes well on the day. Everyone here is so talented and dedicated, they deserve the pay off."

Clary nodded. Most of her work was complete. She had studied the scenes with the help of the English teacher and sketched the way she imagined it. Now she just had to watch over and see things being brought to life and make sure it fit the scene.

"Woah, what is Jace Wayland doing here?" Emma said in a way one might if their favourite celebrity walked in the room. "A few seniors are helping but he is not one of them."

Clary turned to the entrance to see Jace standing there scanning the place probably looking for her. He'd gone to talk to Mrs. Carstairs to see if it was okay for him to be there. "Would your mom mind?"

"Are you kidding, not a single person will complain if he stays here. He is one of the most talked about senior in my year. Everyone here will work harder if they see him, at least the girls, hoping to catch his eyes. And he has a brain with that face, mum likes his work in class, I once asked her to get info for my friends. She says he is a very promising student, allrounder apparently. She'd like his input." Emma said, eyes fixed on the boy walking towards the stage.

'So that's settled.' Clary thought, amused by the way Emma spoke about Jace.

"I wonder why he's interested?" Clary played along.

"Yes. Maybe one of his friends is working." Emma shrugged. "But no popular senior is working. I don't know, he might be friends with the whole senior year with his reputation. A good looking, actually nice person, who wouldn't want to be his friend?"

"That's true." Clary nodded.

"Every eighth grade girl who has heard of him has a crush on him. Someone came to the senior building and stole a magazine which had the football teams picture a few months ago. Jace stays low key so finding out about the blonde hottie on one of the shots took a bit of time. But now, he's all the girls talk about, well him and Sebastian Verlac. And a few others but they all seem like assholes, Jace on the other hand is the nice one. He deserves the fame."

"Fame," Clary chuckled, "Fame it is. How many of you talk about us like we're celebrity gossip?"

"Well, almost all. You haven't been featured, don't worry." Emma smiled at her.

"Thank goodness."

Jace pulled himself up the side of the stage, not using the steps. He stood there and looked around for a while before spotting her and waving and smiling.

"Why is he waving at me?" Emma became stiff and asked Clary nervously, "Or is it you? Do you know him? Why didn't you ever tell me?" Emma turned exasperatedly at Clary while she tried to climb down from the 'balcony'.

"Well, you never asked. And yes, we're friends." Clary answered, finally finding firm ground and giving a hand to Emma. "Come on, I'll introduce you to your celebrity crush."

"Oh my god!" Emma swallowed, "How do I look?"

"You look fine." Clary reassured her, "And if he cares about how you look I'll have something to say about it." She added under her breath.

She walked around to the front where Jace was standing. She walked up to him with a smile and stood on her toes, greeting him with a quick peck to the lips.

"Not that I minded, but what about laying low?" Jace asked, not letting go of her hand.

"No one to judge here." She shrugged. They had been low on PDA to stay out of limelight between their peers, to avoid the gossip and drama.

"That's right." Jace looked around, "So, what have you been working on?"

"I'll show you, but first, I made a promise I need to fulfil." Clary said, looking back to see a wide eyed Emma standing like a statue, "Emma, this is Jace, and Jace, this is Emma, the head of drama for this play and looking over everything. Technically, I work under her."

"So you are the Emma I've heard so much about." Jace said, being his usual charming self, and offered his hand, "Quite a feat you have going on, I wouldn't have been able to do so much at your age. I can't even now." He smiled.

Emma seemed to be stunned into silence, quite unlike herself, she took Jace's hand and blushed when instead of shaking it, Jace kissed her knuckles like some 18th century gentleman. She quickly snapped out of it though. "It's nothing, really. I'm just doing what I love."

"That's really good. Putting effort into a thing you love brings the best results and a lot of happiness." Jace said.

Clary smiled at their exchange. In some ways Emma was so much like Jace. She cared intensely about everything she did and the people she loved and had a charm that was unique. When she would become a senior, she'd be one of the popular ones.

"Emma, could you come over here? The cut of this dress needs your attention. Two people are quarrelling over it." Julian, a boy who was in Emma's grade came calling, "Oh, Clary, you're working today?" Julian looked up to Clary as a senior, being interested in painting himself, and they had the same art teacher in school so he'd heard a lot about her. Being seen as someone to become like warmed Clary's heart to no bounds. She'd grown fond of the kid and being Emma's best friend he was around a lot.

"Yes, Julian." Clary said with a smile. "Emma you should go sort things out. Come and find me if you need help, until then I'll just walk around and see if there is any problem."

"Sounds good." Emma said, "And wait till I let the others know Jace is taken, a lot of hearts are going to be broken by you, Clary." She said, dramatically sighing and clutching her chest where her heart should be and walked away like that.

Clary laughed and shook her head.

"What did she mean by that?" Jace put his hand on her waist and leaned down and asked in her ear.

"Apparently you are some kind of a celebrity for the middle schoolers. All of eighth grade girls have a crush on you. You've killed them with your kindness, I thought middle schoolers like the bad boys but it turns out they like the nice ones more." Clary turned around to face him.

"Well, who can blame them, I mean look at this," Jace said, gesturing at himself boastfully.

Clary raised her eyebrows, and nodded agreeing to him and them smacked his head, although secretly finding his fake boasting adorable. And he was right, he was impressive, at least to her. "Come on, I have to work and you will follow me around, that is if you can drag that huge head of yours around."

"I have the muscles to drag my head around, baby." Jace smirked.

"Only you can use an insult in your favour." Clary grabbed his hand pulling a laughing Jace along with her.

* * *

"I love this place." Clary smiled at the setting sun in the horizon. The sky was a delicious pink and purplish blue. She memorised each shade to reproduce later.

"I know." Jace said, peppering the side of her neck with slow kisses. He was sitting on the hood of her car and she was standing between his legs, her back against him, looking at the sky. She had one of the best memories in that place and it seemed like there would be many more. That offbeat unkempt churchyard had become their place. The field was barren except patches of unruly, dusty green grasses here and there. The church in the background was a lonely but strong picture. It stood abandoned but proud and tall. Clary wondered how the inside looked.

"This place has so much potential. It can be so pretty but for some rumour it's been abandoned." Clary said sadly and was surprised when Jace chuckled. She turned her face towards him, frowning.

Jace smiled, "You speak of this place like it's a person."

"Well, it was made by someone who probably cared about this place very much and loved by other people." Clary defended herself, "You like to come here too, why's that?"

"Because I like the silence here. Away from everything. I can hear myself think. It gives much needed clarity. This is the only place where I can come and pretend like I only have to think about myself and can do whatever I like. Be alone."

"So why did you bring me here?" Clary asked, curious.

"Because I trust you. It's more than that, I don't know how to explain it." Jace shrugged, "When you are around it's like no one's around. I can be completely off guard like I would be by myself. You somehow feel like a part of me. I don't mind sharing any part of myself with you. I can be alone with you. In fact, now, I like being alone with you by my side."

Clary searched his eyes and saw the candour in them. He was not flattering her, he was telling the absolute truth, his truth. She didn't know what she'd done to become so important to him but decided that she treasured that fact and would protect the sanctity of their relationship with everything she had. It was special and most people don't find that in their whole lifetimes and she was lucky enough to have had found it so young and get the chance to savour and cherish it for her whole life. She reached up, cupped his face and kissed his forehead. They stayed like that for a while, both of their eyes closed, her lips touching his forehead, his arms encircling her waist, hair blowing in the slight breeze and the sun going down with the final streaks of red lighting up the sky.

Jace's phone interrupted them. Clary pulled back, giving him space to take the call.

"What? Now?" She heard him ask, annoyed.

"You know I don't do that now."

"I can't. I'm not supposed to, we had a deal." Jace sounded frustrated.

"But.. please, I'll do anything else."

"Okay, okay, please don't do that. I'll be there, text me the address and the things you need." He sounded defeated. He put the phone down and took a deep breath and held it for a while before exhaling forcefully.

"What's wrong?" Clary asked, worried.

Jace didn't say anything for a while. He leaped down the bonnet of the car and scanned his phone, probably for the text he was supposed to receive. Then put his phone back in his pocket.

"Jace, what's wrong?" Clary asked again.

He looked up this time, "Nothing, nothing's wrong, Love. I have to go do an errand. So I'll drive you home first, okay?"

Clary nodded, knowing that something was definitely wrong but not pushing further.

* * *

Jace had a sinking feeling, the one he always had before doing something like that but this time, with Clary sitting beside him, he felt like he was betraying her. Wayland threatened his family. Jace would rather go through that in place of his mother being worked to death or brother being thrown into this racket.

He pulled in the spot where Clary's dad kept their car in front of their house and killed the engine. The hotel he had to go was near her house, he'd walk there, clear his mind. He got out of the car and saw Clary do the same. He schooled his features so that Clary couldn't tell what was going through his mind.

"See you tomorrow?" Clary asked, taking his hand.

"Yeah, sure." He said, kissing her hand.

"Bye, then." Clary said, seemingly unwilling to let his hand go.

Jace pulled her in for a kiss, he'd wanted to have her taste in his mouth and mind for the whole time. He pulled back after a while and rested his forehead against hers, breathing slightly heavier.

"Jace," Clary fisted her hand in his hoodie, "Is it Wayland?"

He sighed, wanting to tell her the whole truth, but just nodded once.

"Why does he make you do things you don't want to? When will he stop?" Clary asked, clearly disturbed for him.

"I don't know." He wished to know the end of this more than anything. Even if he moved out with his family, Michael would always have a hold over him, he could always threaten his family.

Clary sniffled, "I wish you didn't have to whatever he makes you do. It hurts you and I hate him."

"Hey," Jace made her look at him, "I'll be fine. Don't worry." He loved the girl in front of him so much and wanted to come clean to her but something held him back. She was amazing and kind and understanding but every person had their limits and would a girl like her willingly be with a dirty person like him. He didn't want to degrade himself in her eyes more than he already had. He couldn't confess that, although unwillingly, he used his body as a means to an end, to get what he, rather Michael, wanted. Would she even be able to bear touching him if she knew? He wasn't eager to find the answer to that.

"I do worry. I love you."

"I love you. More than you can imagine. Just trust me when I say that." Jace implored, needing for her to understand and trust him.

"I do. Just be careful, okay." Clary asked, caressing the side of his face.

"I will be." He kissed her one last time before seeing her to her door and then walking away, towards the hotel his prospect was supposed to be.

This time it was information. He needed to find out if a certain port was safe to receive shipment and if this other 'businessman' was monitoring it. A high up personnel of their group was supposed to be in Hotel Adamas.

* * *

He came up to the front of the hotel and looked up to see it's name carved into the marble in black lettering. It was made on some sort of a castle and had a lot of ground in front of it. He had no idea how to enter through the front gate security. Usually he was either in a club with no plan or a hotel with pre-planned arrangements, but in a hotel of that class, dressed in a hoodie and jeans with no car or reservation, he had slim chances of making it to the waiting lounge. He was standing in a corner, brainstorming when someone crashed into him almost toppling him over.

"Hey, dude, be careful!"

"Wear these. Mr. Veinne." The small hooded guy stuffed a bag in his hands without showing him his face.

"You're mistaken, I'm not .."

"Mr. Wayland sends his greetings." The guy said and jogged off.

Jace looked into the bag, a suit with a bowtie and an expensive looking pair of shoes. Of course Wayland sent the uniform, he always decides on the wardrobe. Now where the hell would he change! He scanned the street and saw that among a lot of posh stores, a dingy looking shop was there. He decided to try there.

He jogged across the street and knocked on the door, and to his surprise the one opening it was his long time friend Magnus Bane.

"Jace? What are you doing here? How did you find this place, even Alec doesn't know of this place."

"Magnus? This," He read the sign on the door, "Tarot card thingy is yours?"

"Yes, side business, along with the salon. I like to play with tarot cards and a surprising amount of people want to know about their future."

"Oh, wow, okay, are you with clients now?"

"No, I was just opening, what are you doing here?" Magnus narrowed his eyes, "You are supposed to be canoodling with Biscuit, that's all you would talk about yesterday, it's endearing only till a limit then it becomes annoying and you almost crossed it yesterday."

"Yeah, that got cut short. Wayland." Jace said as an explanation.

"What is that vile creature making you do now? Anyway, come in."

Jace went inside the shop. It was surprisingly spacious inside. It looked a little creepy but which tarot card place didn't. The whole business sounded creepy. There was a table with two couches on each side of it. The walls had a fading yellow paint on which Magnus had put weird pictures of creepy looking fellows and quotes on them. The place had a dim yellow light which made it even more mysterious. Cards and beads were on the table, scattered. A drape lay on each couch.

"Wow, some place. How come you didn't tell anyone about it?"

"Wanted the business to flourish before talking." Magnus said, "Okay, maybe I was a little bid afraid of judgement from you cynics." He added, seeing Jace's raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, this is a bit unconventional but hey, I support you in whatever."

"Appreciated. Now tell me why were you knocking at unknown psychic shops in the dark?"

"I needed a place to change my clothes into these," He raised the bag, "Mission's uniform."

"I hate this Wayland. Every 'mission' he sends you on drains something out of you." Magnus said, concerned for the young boy he'd seen grow up.

"Welcome on board." Jace said, sarcastically, "But, I do have to change and get on my way."

"Yeah, the room's yours." Magnus walked out of the room to the tiny place outside in front of the door.

"Excuse me, has Mr. Veinne arrived?" He asked the receptionist who was trying to appear professional but her eyes were taking a few too many peeks at his face from her computer screen.

"Mr. Veinne? Are you supposed to meet him?" She asked

"No, I think this is more of a surprise visit," Jace said, flashing her the smile he has used as a weapon many times, "I don't think he's expecting me. Would you be kind enough to tell me if he has arrived."

The girl cleared her throat, "I wish I could, Mr. ..?"

"William."

"Mr. William, but the hotel has a privacy policy, if the guest is not expecting you, we can't divulge information."

"I couldn't get a hold of him earlier, otherwise .." Jace started.

"I hear you are looking for me." A tall, black haired man offered his hand, "Mr. Veinne."

"William Ross, a pleasure, Mr. Veinne." Jace said, politely. He measured the man up and thought about how to go about things now. The man was tall, as tall as Jace himself, so intimidation probably won't work. He was important, according to Michael, so he might have security, so cornering him alone would be tough.

"So, Mr. Ross, what brings you here?"

"I have heard a lot about you, Mr. Veinne and am interested to work with you." Jace lied smoothly.

"A business proposal? Let's do this over drinks." Mr. Veinne led the way to the bar cum club of the hotel.

As Jace had suspected, two uniformed men with Bluetooth earpieces in their ears followed them.

"A brandy, neat." Veinne ordered, "What would you like, anything, it's on me."

"An Old Fashioned then."

"Good choice, you look so young, the bartender might need I.D."

"Of course," Jace said, digging into the pocket of his blazer. Of course Veinne wanted I.D, they all need proof, so he kept it on him. He swiftly pulled out a fake driving licence which made him William Ross, 24. He smiled at Veinne and showed it to the bartender who nodded and went on his work.

"So, William, can I call you that?"

"Yes, sure."

"What brings you to me?" Veinne asked, taking a sip of his drink.

"I want to learn trade with you. In my amateur days I've heard that you're the best." Jace flattered the man. Boosting a man's ego got him to talk most of the time.

"So, you have some experience?"

'More than I want.' Jace thought, "Yes, a little."

"What have you operated?"

"Street intel, mostly. Some action here and there, part of the crowd. But I want to be more." Jace steeled his eyes.

"Ambitious. Good for business but bad for you, can get you killed."

"If I cared, I wouldn't be sitting here with you." Jace smirked.

Veinne seemed surprised at the brazen young fellow. "And why don't you? May I ask? Any family or a lover, perhaps?"

"None. No one to hold me back. So no roots. And I don't want to live in vain." Jace said with a perfect poker face.

"No weaknesses then, quite an asset. Most are held back by one vulnerability, either life or love."

"No weaknesses. I hate them." Jace said, firmly.

"You seem to be quite a thing. That hard set of eyes tells me that you have no care which makes you dangerous," Veinne said, "Even to me."

Jace smirked, "Loyalty is the only care I have. I can offer unwavering loyalty.." Veinne slightly raised an eyebrow, "In exchange of a way to the top, to work directly beside you." Jace challenged him.

"Quite forward, I see. I can use someone like you but you have to prove yourself, specially if you want to be my right hand. That is a lot of power, over others and me."

"Anything." Jace took a sip of his drink and didn't break eye-contact with Veinne.

Veinne nodded appreciatively and finished his drink at one go. "I like you. And I don't like many, specially not new recruits. But you," He pointed at Jace with the glass still held in his hand, "You have calibre, the real deal." He kept the glass on the bar table.

"I'm honoured to have your approval." Jace gave a curt nod.

"Honoured to have you on the team." Veinne offered his hand which Jace firmly shook but after that Veinne didn't let go.

"Can I interest you in a dance?" Veinne asked .

Jace sat up straighter. So this was in the cards, then. Veinne was interested in men and him. He contemplated refusing and going about things in a different way but the only way he would be able to bring the port up in casual conversation was post coitus. This was going to be one of the tougher nights. He steeled himself and smiled, "Sure."

Veinne took his hand and led him to the dance floor, after requesting some music of his choice from the D.J. An annoyingly slow music started to float through the speakers, people immediately coupled up. Jace felt uncomfortable. He'd love to have Clary in his arms in that moment, not a drug lord.

Veinne pulled him up to a spot and took him by the waist and raised their arms, Jace awkwardly kept his hand on Veinne's bicep and swayed following his lead. Veinne was too close for comfort and kept looking intensely at him. He was used to looking down into women's eyes, not the intense stare of a man. Jace turned his acting skills on and tried to lose himself into the character. He returned the gaze and firmly held Veinne's shoulder. They swayed to music, not necessarily dancing.

After a while Veinne leaned in to his ear, "Want to go upstairs?"

Jace swallowed, "Yes." He whispered, closing his eyes and preparing himself to pull of the performance of the decade.

Veinne moved back and started walking out, holding Jace's hand and signing his security to follow. He asked the security to wait out side his room, once they reached upstairs.

Veinne locked the door behind Jace, who was not moving a muscle. Veinne came back and stood in front of him and looked into his eyes for a moment before attacking his lips with his own. Jace's hands instinctually went to his waist. He tried to relax and not show his repulsion. Every time he kissed a person for business, this repulsion almost made him sick but he continued for work. Veinne was very forceful, he pushed the boy against a wall and pinned his arms above his head, pushing his hip into Jace's, whose heart started beating terribly hard and fast. He was scared that he was having a heart attack or something. He tugged at his hands but Veinne's grip was very strong. Jace felt light-headed, starved for oxygen, his stomach dropped and he could feel sweat forming on his forehead and his legs shaking. Veinne's lips were bruising and unrelenting. He moved to Jace's neck and ear, giving him the chance to breathe, but however hard the boy tried to breathe or calm his racing heart, he couldn't. His sight started to get muddled with black spots which he tried to blink away. He recognised the making of a panic attack and decided to abort the mission and get the hell out of there. He couldn't be vulnerable there.

"I .. I .. don't .. don't .. I don't feel so good. I can't .. breathe." He managed to get out, hating the real vulnerability in his voice.

Veinne stopped his actions and stood back, "What?"

"I just, .. It must be something I .. uh .. ate." Jace staggered to the table kept in the room and leaned against it, grabbing the edge and letting the sharp end bite into his skin to gain some clarity.

Veinne stared at the gasping boy in his room like he was working something out. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm .. I'm fine." Jace said, taking deep breaths and getting himself to stand up. His heart had slowed down a bit but was still beating way faster than it should. "Could we talk for a while? Raincheck on this?"

"Sure." Veinne said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Feeling a little better, Jace decided to go through with the mission, "So, what have your people been up to? Any projects I can get my hands on?"

"Business talk? Okay." Veinne leaned back on his hands, "What do you want to do?"

"I am used to monitoring ports, any available? Any shipment coming in? I could oversee. Maybe the one in the east?" Jace asked, carefully.

To his surprise Veinne laughed. "So that's what you're here for? All this to know if the east port is in my hands?" The black haired man continued laughing.

"I don't understand." Jace tried to act innocent.

"Oh, drop the act. It was fun but now fun is over. You're quite dedicated, I have to give you that. To answer your query, no, my men are not on the east port." Veinne sat up straight.

Jace was unsure what to do, continue acting innocent or try and make a run for it. He decided the latter. "Just to sate my curiosity, when did you know who I am? You know, to brush my skills for next time." He asked, cheekily.

"The second you said you ran intel and got some action too. You're too nicely dressed to be a grunge and real intel people never participate in action, but they might make the mistake of saying they do." Veinne smirked evilly.

Jace nodded, appreciatively, "Okay, nice doing business. Goodbye." He turned to leave, expecting resistance but surprisingly no one moved a muscle, not even the security guards. He briskly walked to the elevator and waited for it, his anxious tapping of his foot resonating in the quiet corridor. He stepped in the empty elevator the second it arrived and turned to press the button when he was tackled and thrown against the metal wall. Jace grunted and tried to push the man off of him but the person got off by themselves, leaving him heaving on the floor of the box. He saw Veinne come up smiling, "You are a good kid, hard worker. I'd ask who you work for but I don't have any use of it. Goodbye gentleman, nice to do business with you."

Jace frowned at the man who seemed gigantic from the place he was lying on. He tried to move and felt a searing pain in his left side. He looked down and saw a huge patch of red on the white shirt of the suit. He groaned in pain and tried to drag himself up, to try and save himself. One of Veinne's security pushed him back.

"This is my personal body guard. I apologise if he was too rough. He'll make it quick for you, I said that I liked you didn't I?" Veinne smiled, "Take him out and dump him in a dumpster somewhere, I don't want my name in it. Random mugging should be it." He instructed his man, who nodded and took Jace's arm and forcefully dragged him up, making a pained scream come out of him, his side feeling like it was on fire. The elevator closed, starting to go to the ground floor with no stops.

The man buttoned Jace's coat to hide the blood, "Do not try to scream. The more you make things difficult for me, the painful it'll be. My boss asked to be quick but he'll never know because you'll be too dead to complain." The man sounded like he got a sick pleasure from seeing the young boy bleed to death.

Jace took short breaths, trying to stay awake and praying he doesn't bleed to death before he could make a run for it. The man dragged him out to a car which was waiting and made him enter the passenger seat, taking the drier's himself. Jace tried to think. Help was nearer than he'd thought. He just had to get rid of this person and get to Magnus. The man drove the car out of the Hotel grounds and took a right turn into a narrower road and then turned to an alley. It was behind a restaurant, just had two dumpsters, ideal place to kill someone. The man pulled Jace out and threw him on the ground. The fair headed boy coughed, almost passing out from pain when the man kicked his wound. The man turned him onto his back, removing his hand from the wound where he was trying to stop the blood flow. The man cruelly stepped on his hand, holding it down and stabbed him around the previous wound two more times.

"Argh!" Jace tried to scream but it came out garbled because blood gathered in throat. He thought that his lung had probably been punctured. He spat blood, trying to get rid of the coppery taste. He couldn't think of a way out. He couldn't scream, he couldn't move, he almost couldn't breathe. He was truly trapped and seriously scared that he was going to die. Tears leaked his eyes, he thought of his brother, his mom, who would look after them if he was dead? He thought of Clary, he couldn't die when he just had her back? All of them would be hurt if he died. He couldn't die this way, no. He couldn't. He had to live. He had to fight. He opened his eyes and saw the man bringing the knife down again but raised another hand and stopped it before it reached his chest, the blade cutting into his palm, but he didn't relent. All the pain was mixing into one whole being which felt like a rock on his chest. He pulled his hand back from under the man's hand, making him lose balance for a second which he took advantage of. Jace brought his leg back with a lot of effort, the pain dulling from the adrenaline rush, and kicked him in the crotch, incapacitating him and then dragged himself to the fallen knife drenched in his own blood. He grabbed it, slippery with blood from his palm and on the knife itself, and violently and blindly started stabbing the fallen man, unrelenting and unforgiving. He realised after a while that the man was not fighting anymore. Jace let the knife fall, breathing heavily and stood up, steadying himself using the alley wall. He went to the car and stashed the knife under a seat. He saw a bedsheet of some sort in the back seat and pulled it out, draping it on himself, groaning in pain. He started walking out of there, willing himself to stay awake till he reached Magnus. He dragged his bleeding weak self out of the alley and across the narrow street and came out on the main road which was a challenge to cross. He leaned against a traffic light pole for a moment before dragging himself across the street and to the tiny shop. He rubbed his face with the back of his hand, it coming back red stained. He rapped on the door, praying for Magnus to open.

"I'm not seeing any clients, kindly come back a later." Magnus opened the door, probably expecting people who wanted his skills. His eyes widening at the sight of Jace. "What in the wide world happened."

Jace couldn't speak, he could barely keep himself up any longer, trusting his fate to his friend, he let go. Magnus caught the almost fatally injured boy and dragged him in and laid him on the couch. Jace closed his eyes, trying to breathe. He heard Magnus call for help from afar, his hearing fading out. He tried to open his eyes, "M..a..g..n.s" He managed weakly.

The older man was down beside him in a second, "Help is on the way, just hold on Jace. You'll be alright."

Jace looked at Magnus with bloodshot, haunted eyes, "I don't want .. to die." His speech becoming slurred.

Magnus stroked his forehead affectionately, pressing a cloth on his wounds, "I won't let you die, sweet boy."

Jace's vision was becoming tunnelled. He had to tell Magnus to tell Clary to look out for his brother if he died, he tried to speak but what came out was just one word before things faded, "Clary …"

* * *

 **He he, Happy New Year.**

 **xoxo Thea**

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	19. Hanging on Threads

**Hi lovely people! I had my exams which I had to pass so I left you hanging for a week, I am so sorry. I did read your reviews and you were the only good thing about this week so thank you from the bottom of my heart.**

 _ **CarissaCampbell : I do agree. If Jace lives, he might do just what you suggested, who knows? *innocently shrugs***_

 _ **Ash2006 : You know these crime lords, they just like to kill people, especially people who know too much and lie. I'm so glad you liked the chapter.**_

 _ **leashybum : I am on an updating spree again, yay! I am kind of weird, thank you for putting up with me. xx**_

 _ **Jling : Ha ha, dark like my soul. Kidding, I don't have a dark soul, at least I hope not. *confusedly scrunches nose and frowns* Welcome for the update and thanks for the read and review, always good to hear from you.**_

 _ **evam0710 : When I saw your first review I immediately knew you started the chapter before the previous update because you were happy. I felt bad to break your heart in the next one, although not too bad, huh, I guess I am kinda evil. Love that you reviewed on both chapters, love you so much xx**_

 _ **Guest : I don't know if we've talked before because you don't have any name. Even if you don't have an account, give yourself some crazy name in the review section, helps me remember and recognise you. You will get you answers in the next few chapters, just hang on. xx**_

 _ **Momkari28 : Hi, I haven't talked to you before, so nice to meet you. If you just started the story, welcome aboard and thanks for sparing your time to read my drabble. Hope I live up to expectations. Thanks for the follow and favourite.**_

 _ **Klary Flairwood : Thanks for the good wishes and love, I needed them this week. I am glad you like my vision of Clace. I have always been obsessed with their dynamic to an embarrassing limit and love exploring it in my way. You will get clearer answers later, just stay with me. Thanks for the reviews on all of my stories, I felt so happy that you read them. And the follow and favourite. I will continue In a Quiet Voice after this one, I plan to, just lost track before. I am so glad that you liked my writing. Hope to hear more from you.**_

 ** _Eka19_ , _Boochar88_ , _BookFreak06_ , I am so glad that you like this tory and favourited it, _jonesnicole2552699_ and _BookFreak06 _thanks for following too. Everyone new, welcome to my humble abode. **

**Onto the chapter...**

* * *

When Clary first received the phone call from Isabelle she didn't process what was happening. She knew what that particular combination of words meant but she couldn't make sense of them.

Jace. Hurt. Blood. Might be fatal.

Her mind didn't know what to make of those words. She just repeated what Isabelle said verbatim to her parents and started getting dressed. Jocelyn understood that her daughter might face a huge loss in the near future and she wasn't willing to let her go to the hospital without her mom. All along the car ride to the hospital, Jocelyn kept worriedly glancing at her daughter and the said girl mercilessly bit her lip to the point where she drew blood. One would expect her to be scared, sad or even angry but her mind was unnaturally calm. It was like her mind hadn't processed the information her body had. Her hands were growing cold and clammy, her stomach felt like it was sucking itself in but her mind was calm. She intellectually knew what was happening but the reality of it hadn't hit her, yet. Her mother dropped her outside the hospital where Isabelle was waiting for her and went to park the car.

Clary walked towards her best friend who was looking at her like she expected her to be more disturbed. Clary put her hands in her jacket's pockets, "Have you been inside? What happened?"

Isabelle threw an arm around the shorter girl's shoulder and pulled her towards herself, "I don't really know," she started moving towards the hospital, "Magnus called Alec and said that he was in an ambulance and was taking Jace to the nearest hospital which is this one."

Clary looked around the lobby and saw that the scene was a mix of people moving around faster than normal, people in scrubs pushing wheelchairs, families of the patients waiting around, some arguing with the people working in the reception, some people sitting with their heads in their hands looking defeated, announcements happening through speakers asking for doctors to go to a particular place. The place was very well lit and had a polished appearance. It could be mistaken for a hotel lobby if it wasn't for the smell of the antiseptic cleaner wafting in the air and the professionals in uniform.

"This place looks expensive." Clary observed.

"Well, Wayland's have money and Jace's dad would want him to get the best care." Isabelle pointed out. "Wait, I'll call Alec and see where he and Magnus are, they were looking after some paperwork." Isabelle took out her phone and was about to walk a little further when she turned around and fished something out of her coat pocket, "Here, Jace's phone, Magnus gave it to me to inform the Waylands. I called the number under 'home' and a woman picked up, said she was Jace's mother. She is coming over."

Clary took the object and turned it over, looking at it closely. The back of the phone had a design of ridges, she rubbed her finger across the back and they came back slightly tinged red. Blood. Clary clasped her fingers tightly around the phone and waited for Isabelle to finish the call. She didn't even know what was wrong with Jace, only that he was hurt and his phone had blood on it and it was serious. She knew she should feel more scared but she felt normal. She turned towards the door and saw her mother walking towards them.

"Clary, we can go up to the waiting room on the third floor, that's where they've put Jace." Isabelle said, extending her hand for Clary to take. She refused it and took a hold of her mother's arm and all of them walked up to the elevator. Hospital elevators are different from any other, they look the same from outside but are unusually long inside, to fit stretchers and other stuff. They walked out of the elevator and onto the third floor which looked more like a hospital. There were steel chairs in a row for people to wait on but they were fewer in number and along the walls. There was two corridors in opposite direction with rooms which had their names written in illuminated red lettering on top of the doors in red.

"Izzy, Clary, come over here." She heard Alec call.

Both the girls walked towards him. Magnus was sitting down, looking uncharacteristically grim, and Alec was standing beside him, with a hand on his boyfriend's shoulder. Isabelle walked up to her brother and stood beside him. "Now will anyone tell me what happened?"

"Jace was attacked on the street. He was stabbed multiple times and has lost a lot blood. The doctors are working on him, they haven't said anything more." Magnus said.

"Stabbed?" Clary asked.

Magnus nodded, "I don't know what happened. I have a shop on Lower Street which I recently rented and am setting up. A few hours earlier Jace showed up at my door, bleeding out. He couldn't speak and lost consciousness a few seconds later. I called an ambulance and then Alec. They took him in immediately and I haven't heard anything since."

"I filled out a bit of the paperwork Jace's family needs to be here." Alec said.

"I will see what's happening. You kids stay here." Jocelyn said and kissed her daughter's forehead before walking away.

Isabelle took a seat beside Magnus and started fidgeting with the fringe of her coat. Clary leaned against the wall beside Alec and stared at the opposite wall. She knew that Jace had been going to do something for Wayland but he'd never mentioned it could be life threatening. She wondered if Magnus knew something more and was unsure about opening his mouth in front of them.

"Clary, where is he? Is my son okay?"

Clary turned her head to see an almost hysterical Celine walking running towards her. She stood up straight and walked towards her, "Celine," she hugged the woman briefly and then led her to the chairs when Isabelle promptly stood up and gave her seat to Celine.

Jace's mom looked anxiously at each of their faces, "Magnus, what happened?"

"I'm not really sure, Celine. Jace was attacked and he has lost a lot of blood but the doctors are working on him, he'll be fine." Magnus reassured her, even though to Clary he himself sounded unconvinced of Jace's recovery.

"Oh my God!" Celine's hand went to her temples. She was a strong woman but anyone would waver hearing that their child might not live.

Clary went and sat beside her, putting her arm around her bony shoulders. "Nothing will happen to him." She said, with conviction, trying to pacify the worried woman.

Right then a nurse came towards them, "Jace Herondale's family?"

Celine stood up and hurried towards her, "I am his mother. How is he?"

The nurse's face was passive, "He has multiple stab wounds to the chest which made him lose a lot of blood. We have tried to stop the bleeding but he needs blood immediately, do you know his blood type?"

"Yes, A positive."

"Good, so we will start with a litre and add it to the final bill? Or would you like to arrange for blood yourselves?"

"You do everything necessary to save my son, I don't care. I will pay the bill later."

The nurse left with a curt nod and Celine came back and sat down.

"Where is Kit?" Clary asked, trying to distract herself and Celine.

"He is with Scarlett. She wanted to come but the hospital won't allow anyone but family inside anyway and Kit and Kai don't need to be here so she's taking care of both of them."

Clary nodded. Her mind floated to that morning and afternoon. Jace had been completely fine, they were happy and together. Within a few hours things had turned upside down. Clary looked up and frowned seeing her mother walking towards them with Michael Wayland following behind her. Celine seemed to have spotted the man too because she aggressively stood up and stalked over to him and took him by the collar of his shirt.

"All of this is happening because of you." She screamed, "My son is in the O.T because of you. You pulled him into your mess. You cost me my husband. I will never let you live in peace if anything happens to Jace!"

"Please, Mrs. Wayland, this is a hospital." Jocelyn tried to pull the angry woman off of the man she was pummelling.

"I am not Mrs. Wayland! I hate that name! I am Celine, Celine Herondale!" She said, letting Michael go, glaring at Jocelyn.

"Okay, Celine," Jocelyn held her hands up in surrender, "You have to calm down. You'll not help anyone shouting at him here. Just please, go sit down." Jocelyn led her back to her seat where she broke down crying.

Clary saw that Isabelle was looking completely confused. She wondered if she should tell her the truth. She decided not to say anything then, she'd explain later with Jace's permission.

"What is Jace listed here as?" Michael asked Celine.

"As my son." She curtly replied.

The man nodded, "I'll take care of the paperwork and the expenses."

He was going to leave when a few doctor ran past them speaking about "a seventeen year old, male, traumatic pneumothorax." Clary looked them go, convinced that they were talking about Jace and a collapsed lung didn't sound good. She was suddenly hit by the fact that Jace had been stabbed multiple times and lost a lot of blood, there was an actual, very high chance that he could die. She hauntedly turned at Isabelle who seemed to understand her unspoken words and pulled her into a tight hug. Clary tightly shut her eyes and buried her face in her friend's neck and held on to her tightly, feeling Isabelle rub her back soothingly. She took a few deep breaths and straightened, steeling herself. Jace would want her to be strong and look after his mum and brother.

She turned to Celine, "How's your head feeling? Did you take your medicine? And eat something?"

Celine nodded, not speaking.

"Can I talk to the family of Jace Herondale?"

They all turned towards the woman in scrubs with a clipboard in her hand and a stethoscope around her neck. She greeted them with a small smile, "Hello, I am Dr. Ashlar , I'm on Jace's case, can I know who is his immediate family here?"

Celine stepped forward, "I'm his mother."

"Ms. Herondale, your son has been stabilised. He suffered a collapsed lung on the table but we have been able to stop the bleeding from the wounds and fortunately we don't see any internal bleeding as of yet. He has been put on a ventilator to help him breathe. He is okay for now but if I am being honest with you I wouldn't say that he is out of danger. We will move him into the Critical Care Unit and keep and be vigilant for the next 24 hours. I hope that his condition will improve with time." Doctor Ashlar said.

"I want that boy to have the best care." Michael Wayland stepped forward and spoke.

The doctor seemingly recognised him, "Mr. Wayland, I didn't know you were involved with this case."

"I am. Very personally. Jace Herondale should have the best people taking care of him. Nothing should happen to that boy."

"Yes, of course. You are a major benefactor of the hospital. Your patient will have the best care we can offer. I will personally look after everything." The doctor nodded and went on her way.

Clary frowned at Wayland, "You don't even care about Jace, why are you even here?" She directly charged him.

"Clary!" Jocelyn admonished.

"No, mom. Celine is right. All of this is this man's fault. It is probably pure luck that Jace is still alive with all the things he makes the poor boy do!" Clary loudly said, losing all inhibitions, "Why would you use your influence to save him?"

Michael Wayland narrowed his eyes at her for a second before schooling his features into a perfect poker face, "That boy is valuable to me."

"Yes, like a good car might be." Clary retorted.

"You are disturbed, I am willing to look past this." Wayland said like he was doing her a favour which flared Clary up.

She felt a hand on her arm and saw Celine pulling her back. She backed away from the argument and went and sat with Celine and saw Wayland leave.

"He is a dangerous man, Clary. And you said too much. You've put yourself in his sight now." Celine said.

"I think I've been there since the second I started dating Jace." Clary replied.

Celine didn't say anything for a while after then.

"We have shifted him to a private cabin, any one of you, preferably family, can go see him for a while." The nurse who'd asked for Jace's blood type told them. It had been about five hours since they'd reached the hospital. Magnus and Alec had gotten all of them to eat something. Magnus almost force fed Celine because of her innumerable refusals to eat but ultimately it had been Clary who had gotten her to see reason and eat something.

They stood up looking at each other's faces. Clary wanted to see Jace but thought Celine should go first.

"Well, I should warn you that he has many tubes going into him right now and doesn't look very good, so anyone who can take that sight in should go. It's a private cabin so you can go visit any time you want but these first hours are very crucial so I recommend that only family stays." The nurse said.

"Clary, you go, please." Celine said to Clary's surprise.

"But, you .."

"I can't see my son like that, at least not right now. You are family, you should go." Celine gave her a watery smile.

Clary nodded and followed the nurse to a room with a wide white door which said one in roman lettering. The door had a glass part through which one could see in. Clary went in and the first thing she heard was the beeping of a heart monitor. She looked at the bed and froze. That wasn't Jace. There was no resemblance, almost like the life had been drained out of him. There were machines around his bed, one thing had a pump like thing with a bubbling liquid in it and had a tube whose one side entered the left side of Jace's chest, just under his ribs. His shirt was off, a sheet covering him from abdomen and down. A hospital gown was draped around his uninjured right shoulder. His head was tilted back slightly and had a tube going down his mouth. His eyes were closed, but with no movement under like there would be if he was sleeping. His face had lost all colour, no golden hue left, leaving a pale, ashen version behind. His hand had an I.V of blood and another of saline running. Clary saw that two of his stab wounds were stitched and taped and there were bruised all over his torso. He looked broken and fragile, his chest rising and falling artificially.

"You can touch him but make sure you wash your hands first, there is a bathroom with antimicrobial washes there," The nurse pointed at a door inside the room, "And make sure you don't touch any of the machines. I'll be right outside, call me if you need me."

Clary nodded and went to the washroom, finding the handwashes and washing her hands thoroughly. She went out and moved towards the boy hooked up to the machines which were helping him live. She sat down on a chair beside his bedside. She scanned his face and body, her throat closing up and tears filling her eyes which spilled over and slid down her cheeks. She took his right hand, gingerly, it was warm. She looked at his palm, it had a cut which had been taped. She didn't know what to do. She just sat there, staring at the face of the boy she loved who had been reduced to this dysfunctional body which couldn't support life without mechanical help. She suddenly felt angry at Jace. If only he had just told her or anyone what Wayland was making him do, they could've helped. Maybe he wouldn't be in that position. They wouldn't be in that position.

"You moron." She spoke even though he couldn't listen. "You almost got yourself killed. You think you have to protect everybody, save everybody. But what is all that worth if you end up dead? Who will look after Kit and Celine if you die?"

She took a deep breath and wiped her tears, "The doctor said that you were still in danger but don't you dare give up. Don't you dare leave me, Jace, do you hear me?" Her voice got chocked by her tears. She lowered her head onto his hand and sobbed, trying to supress the sobs that threatened to burst through her chest. She calmed down after a few moments and sat up. She stood up, wanting to kiss his forehead but worried she would disturb the intubation, she settled for kissing the tips of his fingers softly and then keeping his hand down. "I'd go get Celine but she can't see you like this. I don't know how I'll ever wipe this sight off my mind. Kit is fine, at home. I'll hold the fort down for a while, just get better, Jace. I am waiting for you."

Clary sniffled and was going to leave when she heard a rise in the beeping of the heart monitor. She turned around and saw Jace's eyes moving. She called for the shouted for the nurse and moved towards him. Jace's eyes flew open and looked at the ceiling, he frowned, his eyes darting and landing on her. She saw recognition in them.

She rushed to his side and took his hand, "Jace, love, calm down. You're fine. You're in the hospital. The doctor will be coming right now."

But Jace seemed to do the exact opposite of what she said, he gripped her hand with an astonishing strength and seemed to want the tube out of his throat, his heart rate rising.

The nurse and the doctor came through right then. Dr Ashlar came around beside Clary asking her to step aside but Jace held on tighter, his eyes wide, wanting to say something.

The nurse pulled Clary away, much to her annoyance. She looked at Dr Ashlar check something with her stethoscope all the while Jace held his hand out reaching for Clary, staring at her with wide panicked eyes.

"Mr. Herondale, I need you to calm down. The tube is there to help you breathe. I will remove it right now, your lungs seem to have stabled a bit." Dr Ashlar gripped Jace's head and tilted it up, forcing him to look at the ceiling and slowly started pulling the tube out. Clary scrunched her face, that looked like it hurt. The doctor took the tube out, Jace having a coughing fit which made the machine which had the bubbles, have more bubbles. Jace took fast deep breaths, his chest heaving.

"Can you breath properly on your own, Jace?" Dr Ashlar asked which Jace didn't answer, continuing heaving which got worse with time. The doctor put an oxygen mask on his face which seemed to help. He settled down, coughing a few times and then scrunching his face and groaning from pain, his hand reaching for the side of his chest which the doctor quickly put back by his side. "You have a tube in your side, getting the air out of your collapsed lung. It might hurt right now but it's helping."

Jace probably tried to speak because the doctor bent down and put her face closer to his to hear what he was saying. Then she removed the oxygen mask for a second and helped Jace take a sip of water from a glass which was kept on the bedside table and then replaced the mask. Jace had calmed down a lot since he woke up, his heart rate lowering down but he still had a frown, probably because of the pain.

"If you want, I can give you something for the pain. We need to take a few scans but then I can give you something to help you sleep."

Jace nodded.

The doctor turned away speaking with the nurse. Clary took this chance to inch her way towards him. She just stood by his side without speaking. His eyes were closed but this time she could tell it was from the pain. He still looked ashen but the absence of a huge tube did a lot to better his appearance. She hesitantly touched his head which made him open his eyes and look at her. At least his eyes had the fervour they always contained. His face was partially covered by the oxygen mask but she could tell he tried to smile which turned into a grimace which weirdly made her giggle through her drying tears. She bent down, careful so as to not hurt him and softly touched her lips to his hairline. He found her hand and squeezed, once.

"You had us all worried." She said. "I hate you." But her words seemed to convey the opposite of their literal meaning.

He said something which she couldn't understand until she bent down and almost pressed her ear to his face, "There's no use living if you hate me." His voice was raspy and weak but had traces of his usual sense of humour.

She softly smacked his cheek, annoyed.

"Too soon?"

"It'll always be too soon. I'll go get Celine, she'll set you straight."

"I'd rather you get the doctor with the pain meds, it's almost like I was stabbed."

"About which we are talking once you get this mask thingy off." Clary folded her arms in front of her chest showing her seriousness.

Jace nodded in affirmation.

The doctor came in, "Your mother says that you are not allergic to anything but do you remember anything? Anything you are allergic to, I mean?"

"Just stab wounds." Jace joked which came out muffled.

"Very funny, other than that?" Dr Ashlar didn't seem to appreciate his high spirits.

"No."

"Okay, then. This will help with the pain." She went on to administer an injection and then left, promising to send Celine in.

"Wow, that stuff is strong." Jace said, blinking his eyes closed.

"Feeling better."

"Hm." He nodded, exhaling deeply.

"I love you."

He opened his eyes and looked at her, "I love you. I'm sorry."

Clary kissed the back of his hand, "Just get better."

He nodded, grasping her hand and pulling it to his chest. She moved closer and ran her hand through his hair slowly. A calm settled in the room, a disaster narrowly missed. Clary, feeling tired, leaned her head down beside Jace's and closed her eyes.

* * *

Clary was awakened by a sudden jerk. She shot up and saw that Jace's eyes were rolled to the back of his head, his body jerking uncontrollably. She screamed for help and a few nurses in scrubs came in and a flurry of action began. She was pushed to the back of the room, Dr Ashlar was there shouting instructions to the others when the rapid beeping of the heart monitor stopped and a few flat lines ran across the screen. Dr Ashlar got up on the bed, straddled Jace's body and started chest compressions while the others hurried around bringing machines inside.

Clary couldn't blink. She stared at the scene unfolding in front of her in a shock. Someone grabbed her arm and pulled her outside, her eyes not moving from the commotion all along. Finally when she was outside, she was handed over to her mother. She looked at Jocelyn who had tears in her eyes, a few feet away Celine was sobbing in Isabelle's arms. Magnus was standing with his head buried in Alec's neck while he held onto his boyfriend, staring at the door of the cabin. Clary's body was stiff, she didn't move when Jocelyn embraced her. Her mind running without making any sense, her eyes peeled, that awful straight sharp sound from the monitor inside filtering through the chaos and ringing in her ears.

She was snapped out of it when she reached Celine. Clary freed herself of her mother's arms and sat beside Celine pulling her to herself and letting her cry on her shoulder. She sat with her back straight as a board, holding Celine tightly while the woman sobbed for her son, her own eyes dry.

"Mrs. Herondale?"

Celine sat up, gathering herself and looked at the doctor for information.

"We were able to bring your son back. But his scans showed an embolism, it was small, he was not in a position to be operated on, we didn't things would worsen this fast. But it has, if we don't operate on him now," Dr Ashlar gravely shook her head, "The surgery will be dangerous, but it is the only way out now. I know, this is bad news but you can't give you much time to think. His body won't survive another cardiac arrest. You have to decide now. What should we do?"

"So you mean a surgery could kill my son and no surgery will surely kill him?"

"I'm afraid, yes."

Celine pulled on the roots of her hair, and bit her lip, "Oh my god, .." Her voice broke. She took a few deep breaths and looked at the doctor, "What are the chances of his survival if you operate?"

"Right now it's a fifty percent."

Celine swallowed and turned to Clary, "I don't know what to do."

Clary was surprised to be given the chance to make such a decision on her behalf but she spoke up, pushing aside the doubt and dread of maybe taking a decision which would kill Jace, "You know what to do. There is only one option. You're not losing him tonight." She said with conviction.

Celine nodded with a tortured face, she turned to the doctor, "Where do I have to sign for you to operate."

Dr Ashlar swiftly nodded, "I'll send a nurse with the paperwork, while we prep your son for surgery."

Celine grabbed her hand before she left, "Doctor, you save him. Please."

Dr Ashlar covered Celine's hand with her own, "I will try my best." And hurried away.

Clary moved up and took Celine by the shoulder's and sat her back down. She knelt in front of her, "I will get you some water. It is going to be a while before we know anything else."

Celine closed her eyes, frowning, a tear ran down her already wet face. "This was not how it was supposed to go. My boy was not supposed to die."

"And he hasn't. He is going to be okay. We won't lose Jace." Clary looked into her eyes trying to be show her strength and belief, "He is a fighter. He won't lose this fight."

"How can you know that?"

"Because I know him. I know that Jace will do anything for his family and will never you guys alone."

Celine's eyes searched Clary's to see if she actually believed what she was saying. She seemed to find her reassurance because she nodded and squeezed Clary's hand once before letting go.

Clary stood up and turned to Isabelle, "Izzy will you come find the cafeteria with me?"

"Yes, of course." Isabelle took Clary's offered hand and started walking down the hallway when someone called Clary's name.

She turned to the door and saw a small Kit running towards her. The small boy hugged her waist tightly. She saw that Scarlett holding Kai and walking towards them with worried eyes and hurried steps.

"I took Jace's name in the reception, they sent me up here." Scarlett said, "Kit wanted to see his brother and I couldn't sit at home any longer."

Clary looked at the little boy holding onto her and back at Scarlett and nodded, "I understand. Just be with Celine, they're all back over there." She knelt down in front of kit who was sniffling, and smiled and ruffled his hair, "Hey, Kit. Your mother's back there. Stay with Scar, okay."

The boy shook her head, "Jace told me if he wasn't there and mum wasn't there, I should always stay with you."

Clary sighed, "I am just going to get some coffee an food, do you want something?"

Kit shook his head, "I just want my mom."

"She is there, buddy. She is sad too, so please stay with Scar? Jace trusts me so he asked you to be with me if he's not there, and I trust Scar, okay? She will keep you safe. You understand what's happening, right?"

"I know that Jace is hurt very badly. I know my dad was hurt badly and he died, is Jace going to die too?"

Clary shook her head, "No buddy. Your brother is going to be okay. The doctors are helping him. Just be a good boy and stay with the others okay."

Kit nodded reluctantly and let her go. Clary stood up, kissed Kit's forehead and watched them walk towards the others when she felt her best friend's hand on her shoulder, rubbing the knots out with her thumb.

Clary exhaled deeply and walked out of that floor.

* * *

Clary and Isabelle were standing in the queue waiting for their turn. Isabelle had refused to go to the hospital cafeteria on principle so they went to a coffee shop across the street. Even at almost midnight it was quite busy. Isabelle counted the money in her purse while Clary stared unseeingly at the shiny hospital building through the glass windows of the shop. The building was so deceptive. It was made of glass and metal and looked like a really good hotel where people might stay while holidaying somewhere but the inside was polar opposite. So much loss, so much pain, so many prayers and so much hope.

"Clary." Isabelle shook her out of her trance.

"Huh?" Clary confusedly looked at her best friend.

"Do you want your usual coffee?"

"No, I don't want any. Just get what you want." Clary said, looking back out.

Isabelle finished her transaction and they walked out. Clary looked both sides to look for the traffic light when Isabelle took her arm, "Come on, let's sit here for a while." She said, gesturing to the chairs outside the café with her head, her long black hair slightly ruffled by the wind.

Clary didn't object, she went and sat down on one of the chairs with Isabelle opposite her, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Talk to me."

"About what?" Clary asked.

"About whatever you are feeling. I can see you are being strong for everyone else back there and I also know that you love him, and when a loved one is in the hospital, people generally feel wacky, and you seem too together."

"I'm okay. I'm not the one who was stabbed and might die, I'm not the one whose son and only hope of getting a better life is hanging on the line." She snapped.

"No, but you are the one whose friend's life is on the line." Isabelle said, not letting Clary push her away by showing irrational anger, "Your loss or pain is not defined by the title of your relationship or the length of it. It is about what you feel."

Clary exhaled forcefully and bit her lip, gripping the edges of the table in front of her tightly, breathing fast trying to fight the pressure building up in her throat and behind her eyes. She let go of the table and ran her hand through her hair, fingers getting stuck at the hair tie which was securing her unruly red locks. "I knew something was wrong. I could feel that something was not right this evening, yet I let him go. I should've talked some sense into him." She looked at the blurred face of her best friend, "And now," tears spilled over the edges of her eyes, "he could die. He could literally die! He was dead, Izzy, his heart stopped, he stopped breathing." The tears came faster now, falling down her cheek in a cold trail, "You must have picked up on some obvious details by now. Jace, he is not Wayland's son, or anything actually." She rubbed the wet tracks on her face roughly with the back of her hand, "There is a very complicated past behind all of them, even I don't know the full story but Wayland is not a good man. He is involved in some very shady business and pulled Jace into it. He got injured working for Wayland. He is Celine's son, Celine Herondale. And that boy who hugged me is his real brother. They are Jace's life and everything he does, he does it for them, to keep them safe and happy. You can't imagine the amount of responsibility he takes and how hard he works to keep his mother from burning herself out and give his brother a good life."

Isabelle nodded, "Alec knows, he explained a little."

"They are few of the best people I have ever known, they deserve the world and all they get is misfortune after misfortune. Celine, she is ill. A few days ago she said that if something happens to her, her sons would be alone and I should keep an eye on them, she trusts me with her children, and I agreed, even though I knew it was too big of a job for me because I knew that Jace would be there. And now, I don't know what is happening. It was not supposed to be this way." Clary held on to Isabelle's hand tight, "Izzy, I can't lose him!" Clary said hysterically, "I don't know what I would do. He asked his brother to be with me in his absence, he expects me to look after his family but I'm not.." she shook her head "I'm not him, I can't do that!" Her vision blurred, "What will happen to Kit, he is just a little boy, he has lost his father and now his brother and has a mother who is sick. Jace can't die." Clary felt her throat close up, she gasped for breath and held on to Isabelle's hand like it was the only thing holding her to the ground, sobs broke free of her chest, not caring about her surroundings.

"Clary, Clary!" Isabelle walked around the table and hugged the shaking and sobbing girl to herself, "Shush. Nothing is going to happen to anyone."

"Izzy I just got him back." Clary cried, holding onto her friend, "I just got him back."

Isabelle rubbed her back trying to sooth her to no avail. Clary gathered herself in a minute and sniffled, rubbing her face with her hands, "We need to go back in. I can't break. If anything does happen, I have to be strong, as strong as Jace, that is what he would want." She stood up.

Isabelle stood too and took cupped her face in her hands, "You can slow down, Clare. You can be weak for a while. I have never seen anyone our age be so in love with each other like you and Jace. What you have is special and genuine, he loves you to bits. Even when you had broken up, he would come to our house with Alec and Magnus and come to my room to say hi." Isabelle chuckled, "He wanted to be polite and friendly to me but his darting eyes clearly searched for you, he probably thought that maybe you were with me and just wanted to see you. If he was present in the room and I was talking to anyone on the phone, he would clearly be listening, hoping that maybe it was you and he would catch your voice. It was annoying and adorable."

Clary chuckled tiredly through her tear stained face.

"My point is that you guys are adorably annoying. You stick like barnacles to each other and he won't let go easily." Isabelle half smiled.

Clary nodded.

If the doctor came out any later, nothing of Clary's fingers would be left. She had already almost bitten of every bit of nails on her hands.

Dr Ashlar looked tired and grim, "We were successfully able to operate. He is out of danger and in recovery. He should regain consciousness in a few hours."

There was a collective sigh of relief. Clary slid down the wall she was leaning against and put her head between her knees, breathing deeply. She felt someone hug her but didn't respond. One lone tear ran down her right cheek. She looked up and saw her friends hugging each other, her mother hugging Scarlett and Celine hugging Kit and Kai. Clary leaned her head back and looked up at the white light on the ceiling and quietly thanked any force out there.

Isabelle sat in front of her, "He is going to be okay, Clare. Nothing is wrong." She said softly.

Clary giggled, tears running down her face, "He is going to be okay." She hugged her best friend in glee a simple orison of four letters running through her mind. Jace.

* * *

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 **xoxo Thea**

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	20. Post Trauma

**Hello lovely humans. Are any one of you still there? If you are, do you want to murder me? All of which is very justified since I disappeared for about three months, but here I am again. Hope you are still reading. This chapter is a bit of a filler and I'll be honest, I didn't feel it. If you feel anything, make sure that you let me know. You can also throw whatever colourful words you have in any language at me, I kinda deserve it. I hope to see my old pals _Jling_ ,  
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**Everyone who followed and favorited, Aimes92 _,_ _rmbreader,_ _smileym93 , aroundsundown_, thank you so much. Tell me how you're doing, I genuinely wanna know. **

**Now for the worst chapter I've ever written.**

* * *

Clary turned to the sleeping boys on her bed and tucked the comforter snugly in around their shoulders. She saw that both the boys were knocked out and breathing evenly. Satisfied, she turned the bedside light off and slowly shut the door of her bedroom and walked out.

It had been a very draining night. After they could finally breathe, Jocelyn made all of them go back home and rest while she stayed back for any developments. It took a bit of convincing but at last everyone agreed to the arrangement because it was very late and they were all very tired. Clary would've stayed back with her mom but Kit refused to go home with anyone other than her, so she made the sacrifice and took both the kids back to her house with Scarlett, planning to return to the hospital after having put them to bed. Celine was the hardest one to convince. She was adamant on staying in the hospital till she could see her son and talk to him and Clary had to almost emotionally blackmail her to get her some much needed rest. Isabelle took her home with her, Alec and Magnus left together.

She had not seen Michael Wayland around after that one time but everything at the hospital was being done in his name, all the bills, all the upgrades. Even the staff seemed to be taking extra care of kin of Michael Wayland. Clary was confused about his reasons behind helping the Herondales. A man like that had to have an ulterior motive, and if the recent happenings were any indication, those motives do not end well.

"Both of them are asleep. Could you stay in my room for the rest of the night? There is no place for you to sleep but I can give you something to make a makeshift bed on the floor." Clary asked.

"That wouldn't be necessary. It's almost morning anyway. I'll stay with the boys, you can go to the hospital." Scarlett reassured.

Clary smiled, "Why did I even ask? You are so much better at taking care of them, you do it regularly. I'm sorry if you feel like I'm imposing."

Scarlett shook her head, "No, of course not. You're on edge, I can understand." She lightly hugged Clary. "Just keep me updated on Jace's health, please."

Clary squeezed her hands, "Of course." She smiled.

Scarlett made her way towards Clary's bedroom.

"Do you have to go back there?" Valentine Morgenstern peeked out of his bedroom.

"Yes, Dad. Please don't stop me."

Valentine nodded. He walked out towards his daughter and kept a hand on her shoulder, "Just stay with your mom and try get some rest. You wearing yourself out isn't going to help your friend."

Clary agreed and made her way towards their car.

* * *

Clary startled awake, blinking at her surroundings. A white light pricking her sleep deprived eyes and a slight buzz of noises in her ears. She couldn't place a finger on where she was until it rushed back to her. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and saw that all nothing had changed in the cabin since she had entered.

When she came to the hospital the night before, a nurse had led her and her mother to the cabin that Jace was being kept in. Inside the cabin, there was a sofa, on which Clary was currently awkwardly half sitting half lying. A few cushioned chairs where there accompanying the sofa, a centre table which had a bowl of fruits and a glass of water and a small plant of some sort, to make the place less clinical. In the centre of the room, on a queen sized bed, with spotless white sheets and covers, was Jace. He was still hooked up to a few machines, but the intubation was gone. He still looked ashen but his heartbeat was steady and resounding in the room. An IV disappeared in his arm and if it wasn't for the oxygen mask, he could have been just sleeping. A sheet was drawn to his chest which covered the sutures and the gauze that was on his body. A table with a medicine tray was beside the bed, it also had a glass of water. The walls of the cabin was painted a cobalt blue and a painting hung on the wall behind the sofa.

Clary took a sip from the glass in front of her. Jocelyn had left a while later for home and Clary had stayed behind thinking that someone should be there when he wakes up. The doctors had checked up on Jace and left with assurances of his recovery, apparently Michael Wayland was a benefactor of that place and he put Jace on his list of personal cases so he was to receive special attention and care. Clary wasn't sure why the man would do that but he kind of owed it to Jace after all he's put him and his family through.

Jace looked peaceful. As far as she knew he hadn't woken up in the duration of Clary's sleep. She stood up, cracking the joints in her backbone, and walked up to his bed. She stared at him going over the night's events in her head and realised that they'd avoided a disaster by a hairsbreadth. She would hold his hand but she suddenly felt weird touching him while he was unconscious on a hospital bed. She'd done it the night before but realised that it was because she was in shock and desperation. She had always had this weird tick, she never felt comfortable having physical contact with a person who was not normally sleeping but unnaturally unconscious, there was no explanation but she just felt weird, no matter how close she was to the person. So she just stood by the bedside and stared at his pale face, reflecting.

At one point in her train of thoughts she was jerked aware by an epiphany.

"Shit! I am so freaking deep into this!" She said out loud to herself.

She realised how seriously she was involved with another person at her age. Her plans for life never included this. Maybe a one or two flings in high school but this, this serious committed relationship where when her boyfriend was indisposed his whole family looked to her for support and serious decisions. His mother literally told her to take a life or death decision and expressed her wishes about having Clary look after his sons in her absence. She had to put his little brother to sleep and then stay over at the hospital. She was less like his high school girlfriend and more like his wife. This was never on the cards. How the hell had she gotten herself in this deep!

The thought suddenly scared her. She would stir that particular cocktail for longer but a slight grunt cut her out of that path of insecurity backed doubts. She saw a frown on Jace's face and a slight scowl. His eyes fluttered open, seemingly disoriented for quite a few seconds before focusing on her general area. He blinked a few times, looking confused and irritated, and then widened his eyes and tried to shake his head awake, groaning immediately.

"Don't move, I'll call the doctor." Clary shot up out of her chair and went out to let the nurses know that Jace was awake. She came back and saw him frowning with his eyes closed and clutching the sheets with the hand which was injured as the other had an IV entering it. He hadn't tried taking off the oxygen mask but was breathing normally. Clary went to slowly touch his hand so that he would release the pressure and not cause further harm but just then the doctor entered with a professional smile on her face.

"Mr. Herondale, you're up, good. I am going to take the mask off and check your vitals," Dr Ashlar went on to do her checks and asked questions here and there sometimes getting a monosyllabic answer and otherwise grunts although she didn't seem fazed by the barely there responses. Finally happy with her results she noted some stuff down and looked at Clary, "He is doing okay, stable vitals, blood pressure a bit low but that's normal in this case, otherwise doing okay. I will need do a few more tests so would you call his mother or should I?"

"You can call her."

The doctor nodded, she looked at the nurse, "Make sure he's stable until I have someone make the call and get the permission, then we'll prep him for the tests."

The nurse nodded and Dr Ashlar left.

Clary looked at the nurse and asked in a low voice, "Can I talk to him?"

"Yeah, sure. Just don't get him excited in any way. He needs to rest. I'll be right outside, I'll give you guys some privacy." She smiled and left.

Clary approached Jace who still had that scowl on his face and his eyes pressed close, "Jace?" She tried hesitantly, "How are you feeling?"

He didn't speak for a while and she'd almost turned around to just go outside and wait when he spoke in a coarse voice, "Like shit."

Clary was going to comfort him with words but what came out was of a completely different disposition, "Well, you should!"

This got the attention of the scowling boy, he finally opened his eyes and stared at her with surprise.

"Yeah, you should. This, all, is your fault. But I am not going to start now because the nurse said not to get you worked up and I'm glad that you're not cold in the morgue." She said.

His stare softened, "Come here."

She complied and moved near his side. She sat down on a stool kept there. They just looked at each other without speaking. She bent down and pressed her lips to his forehead. "It's late in the morning, everyone had a sleepless night. Celine is coming down here probably, Kit is asleep at my home." She informed him of the whereabouts of his family.

He nodded, "I feel like my body has been impaled on something sharp."

"I'm sorry." She took his hand running her thumb over the air over the gauze tied there before bringing it up and pressing soft kisses on it and kept it back down.

"Why did you stop, it wasn't hurting. The only thing that actually felt nice." He complained.

Clary shook her head with a growing smile and returned to kissing his hand and intermittently his forehead.

Celine burst through the door with a stamp of worry and the previous night's lack of sleep on here face, eyes searching for any signs of discomfort on her precious son. Clary gave her the seat, getting up and moving towards the door. While going out she heard soft sobs and a string of "I'm fine" and "I love you".

* * *

Clary came out of her bathroom in a t-shirt and baggy shorts, both with wet splotches on them from the water still sticking to her skin after her shower and the drizzle from her hair. She took her mother's dry towel and started drying her hair with it as she walked into her room. The bed was unmade. She made space for herself at a corner and sat down, legs dangling. She decided to arrange her room properly. She continued the benign job unthinkingly when Jocelyn entered, "Clary, breakfast is ready, come eat something."

"Yeah." She mumbled and nodded and her mum was going to leave when she abruptly called her back, "Ma, could we talk for a moment?"

"Yeah, of course." Jocelyn frowned with concern for her daughter.

Clary sat down on the now made bed and patted the spot beside her. Jocelyn took the gestured seat. Clary looked at her feet for a moment, not knowing how to present her thoughts to her mother. She looked up and pulled her mum in for a hug which was tightly reciprocated, "Clary, baby, what's wrong?"

"I'm just worried about Jace." Clary said into her mother's shoulder.

"He is going to be okay, love." Jocelyn ran her hand down her back comforting her.

"No, I don't mean that." Clary pulled back and took her mother's hands into both of hers and looked at their clasped fingers on her lap, "I am not worried about his health, I mean, I am, but that's not what I'm talking about." She looked up into her mother's eyes which had the familiar crinkles by their side when Jocelyn tried to do the mother-mind-read voodoo. Clary spared her the work and explained, "I was thinking about the fact that this thing has become so serious." She hesitantly continued, "I was going over what happened, you know, to try and process it, but what stuck were the facts that Celine asked me to take a life or death decision about her son, Jace's little brother refused to leave my side because his mother was not there and in the absence in both of his relatives, he thought he was supposed to be with me. I had to put a six year old to bed and make sure Jace's mum got enough sleep and then go back and spend the night in the hospital." She shrugged, eyes wide with a scared wonder, " I mean which mother let's his son's high school girlfriend do such things? That is what significant others do, people who are married!"

"And God! I know I wanted to do that, be there for him, take responsibility, help a scared six year old whose brother might have died and be there for a wrung out woman and even talking about it like this makes me feel like I am betraying Jace. No body forced me to do anything but now, I feel like it's too much, coming at me all at once I mean I am about to be eighteen, I have to build my career, go to college, maybe have a few flings here and there, settle down, then get married and commit to someone and be there for them. Right now I am supposed to be selfish, aren't I? I should go to parties, argue with you and dad, take wrong decisions and live my life, not do this." She was almost panicking by now which was evident by the pace of her speech increasing.

"Clary, calm down." Jocelyn said firmly in a calm voice.

Clary listened to her mother and took a deep breath and looked to her for advice, Jocelyn sighed with a slight smile, "First, let me say how proud I was at the way you handled things yesterday. I have concerns, of course, but the way you did all of those things you mentioned, made me so proud. I got to see that my daughter is actually growing up." She smiled and cupped her daughter's face, "And Clary, the relationship you have with Jace and his family surprised me too. I thought he was just one of those boyfriends every teenage girl has for a few months and thinks they are in love with but I saw how deep things ran. I'll be honest, it scared me a little and I am glad you brought this up because I was going to mention something later. Clary, this thing you've found is amazing, once in a lifetime, but nothing is set in stone. You can live your life the way you planned or plan another way, it is all your choice. You have that choice. And you are my daughter, I want the best for you, so I am going to say, in this case, be selfish, decide for yourself, weigh your pros and cons." Jocelyn took her daughter's hands in hers, "Your father and I met when we were very young too, in college, and dated for very long before getting engaged and then got married even later. We took breaks, went on our own ways, got back together, gave each other space and somehow worked things out. All of it was because we wanted to. Things will work out only if both of you want it to and if even one of you feels that they are missing out on something by staying with the other, it won't make either of you happy. So just take your time, figure things out and don't be scared to take risky steps because I will always be there to steady you if you stumble."

Clary took in her mother's advice and nodded. She needed just that. A talk with Jocelyn and knowing that she has not tied her own hands.

* * *

"Everything is going to be just fine, Mrs. Herondale." Dr Ashlar assured Celine for the fourth time in one routine check-up.

It had been almost two weeks since Jace got stabbed. He was recuperating quite well. He was going to be released that day and couldn't wait to get out. Once the consistent pain became intermittent he got excited to leave but was kept there for a week and the doctor advised to stay there for a few more days but the boy was not having it. He said that he'd rather get stabbed a few more times than spend one more day lying there staring at the ceiling or killing time by just watching movies. He liked to move around. So the doctor was granting release after making sure it was possible. He was in high spirits to go home.

A small part of Clary had wondered if Wayland would pay a visit, he was after all paying the bills, but he didn't show his face. The police interference suddenly went away though. Celine practically lived in Jace's cabin, Scarlett was a huge help, taking care of the kids and home. Clary came to check in quite often but with her doubts she tried not to be too involved, taking time for herself. Things were cordial, so she couldn't tell if Jace noticed any difference, even if he did, he didn't vocalise it.

"Thank you so much Doctor." Celine replied.

"It's my job." Dr Ashlar smiled and left. The discharge papers had been signed.

"Finally!" Jace went to stand up, wincing on his right foot, steadying himself before Clary moved to help. He smiled at her, shaking his head nonchalantly. His pallor was gone. He was looking quite good for someone who got almost stabbed to death two weeks ago.

"Take it easy. Or you will mess something up and get sent back to that bed."

"Next time, instead of punishing me with this torture just stab me a few more times and get it over with." He joked.

"Ha ha, very funny." Clary fixed him with a humourless stare.

Jace smirked cheekily and lightly tapped the tip of her nose with his finger making her scrunch her face and pout reflexively.

"I will be waiting in your car Clary, bring him out in one piece." Celine left.

"So, now that my mother is gone. And we are finally alone, can I get a kiss?" Jace asked.

"Hm.. let's see.." Clary tip toed and pecked his cheek, light scruff scratching her lips.

"That's not what I meant and you know it." Jace complained.

"You look like a wild animal and smell like hospital, I am not making out with that." Clary retorted.

Jace narrowed his eyes at her and then a naughty spark crept onto his face, "Women usually like _wild animals_." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Then go find those women." Clary left his side and went to gather her things from the sofa.

"But, I only want one woman."

She felt his arms go around her waist. She turned slowly, making sure that she didn't hurt him. She found his face closer to hers than expected and tried to move back.

"You sure you want to pass this on?" He whispered.

She moved closer and stared at his lips, giving the idea that she was going to kiss him but at the last moment took a long whiff and whispered, "Yes, I'm sure." She pulled back laughing at his shocked face.

She chuckled seeing his adorably disappointed face which made him exaggerate his pout. She shook her head in hopelessness and turned back to her work.

They gathered everything and were walking out of the room when Clary stopped, "Jace,"

He turned around to look at her and she pulled him down and pressed her lips to his. He didn't respond for a second but quickly caught up, dropping the light bag of clothes he was holding and pulling her closer by the waist.

* * *

"So, how was your vacation?" Scarlett asked sarcastically.

"Ahmazing. You should try getting stabbed and almost dying sometimes. Really puts things into perspective and gives a good rush." Jace said seriously.

Scarlett raised her eyebrows in fine consideration before smacking him lightly on her head and hugging him. "Good to see you alive."

"Good to be alive." Jace returned the hug for a moment before pulling back, "Scar, I wanted to thank you for all that you did. You really held everything together, I don't know what my mum would have done if you weren't there."

"You don't have to thank me. It's the least I could do."

Jace smiled, went inside his house and gingerly sat down on the cot. Before he could say anything, his mother came in and handed him some pills and a glass of water.

"Do you want to lie down?" Clary asked

"If I have to lie down for one more second I will go crazy." Jace replied, tired of taking so much rest.

"Don't exert yourself, Jace, please. You are excused from school, Scar will bring you your work which you can do without physical exertion. Take a month of to get better."

"I am all right, Clary." He smiled, taking her hand and kissing it, "I will do as everyone of you say, happy?"

"I'd be happier if you don't get yourself killed."

"I will see that he stays alive." Everyone turned their attention to Michael Wayland standing at the doorway.

"Michael." Celine said.

"Celine." Wayland greeted her.

"Why are you here?" Celine aggressively started towards Michael but Jace stopped her by grabbing her wrist. He stood up and slowly walked towards the older man himself.

"I am grateful for what you did for me. I will go to your office to settle the debt, I request you not to say anything further here." Jace stood stoically.

Michael stared at him, unspeaking, which Jace met, relentless. Michael was the one to break first. He gave a curt nod and went on his way.

Jace's shoulders relaxed and he came back and took his seat. Clary saw him take his mum's hand and squeeze once, "Well, thank you, everyone for helping me settle down. Now can we break up this fiesta?"

* * *

Clary was lounging on a plush couch in one of the rooms on the ground floor of the mansion. A while after Michael had left, Jace had gone to see him in his office. Celine and Scarlett went off together presumably for work and Clary awkwardly waited in their home and called her mom to keep the boys for a little longer until Scarlett went to pick them up. About fifteen minutes later, Jace had come in and guided her to the room she was in now and left again. She was mindlessly scrolling through her phone when the room's door opened and Jace entered. He walked to the bed and sat down on the edge.

Clary stood up and walked over, "Everything alright?" Although her question was probably moot as alluded by the lines on Jace's forehead from the frown he was wearing and the empty staring at the floor that he was doing which meant his mind was otherwise occupied.

He looked up, minutely startled, "Yeah.. yes, everything is alright." He gave her a watery smile. He pulled her closer by the waist and rested the side of his face on her midriff. She wove her hands around his neck, holding him there. They stayed like that, not speaking, both their minds occupied by thoughts they couldn't share with each other.

Until Clary pulled back, "You should lie down, rest for a while, you're still recovering, remember?"

Jace made a face and groaned, "I don't want to. Let's go out somewhere?"

Clary started shaking her head in negative, "Absolutely not. Not right now."

"But, I've feel like I'm jailed!" Jace whined.

"If you don't take this week easy, you won't be allowed to work from next Monday." Clary warned.

Jace pouted and exhaled dejectedly, "Fine. I will return to playing dead."

Clary chuckled at his discontentment, "You rest for at least two hours and I promise I'll bring your brother back."

"I haven't seen him for so long. He's better company than you are, he doesn't bore me to death."

"Sure. He is." Clary walked to the couch to collect her phone.

"We don't have to leave. Michael gave me this room for as long as I need it."

Clary, surprised, turned around to face him, "and what's in the fine print?"

"Nothing. That's what surprised me too. I don't know, maybe he's getting old and religious and wants to make up for his sins before meeting the big guy." Jace shrugged, smirking.

Clary narrowed her eyes, "The possibility of that is equal to the possibility of me being six feet in height."

"I don't know. I just got used as target practice, I'm gonna take the king sized bed and the really unnecessarily huge bathroom." Jace plopped back on the bed and closed his eyes with a content smile on his face, arms spread out. He popped one eye open and raised his head slightly, "You coming?"

Clary moved to his side and laid down with her head on his arm, careful of his healing wound. He didn't seem to be too concerned with it and pulled Clary in with his right arm, tucking her head into the side of his neck. Clary closed her eyes, feeling at peace. She went over the events that led there and was glad that it was over and they all came out mostly unscathed. Even with all her second thoughts, insecurities, fears and uncertainties she was absolutely positive that she was overwhelmingly glad that the boy holding her hadn't died and was an integral part of her life.

"Jace?"

"Hm?"

"I love you."

She felt a soft kiss pressed to her hairline, "I love you more."

They had a lot hanging between them, unexplained risks, unresolved anger that she felt, a lot of history on both their parts and a lot of choices to make, but in that moment, everything could be put on hold. Lying there, in the air-conditioned room which felt foreign, in the familiar embrace, Clary let herself drift into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

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 **Love ya'll, Thea.**


	21. Real Life

**A.N: Woah! New update! Btw, it's 2 a.m.**

 _ **Guest1 : I'm glad Jace is recovering too. I hate to make him suffer. This chapter is very Jace centric so make sure you tell me what you thought of it. :) **_

_**NoOneHasNoName: Thanks for the warms welcome. I am so happy you're still reading. I like your username, is it from somewhere? I hope you'll like this chapter. **_

_**Guest2 : I am so glad I'm back too. And I love that you loved the chapter. See if you like this one too.**_

 _ **Bastille's Club : Honestly, you spoil me. You shower so much love on all my stories, specially on Lost in Translation, I just can't believe the amount of support I get from you. Thank you so much. All the detailed reviews are very appreciated. To answer your question, let's see what happens, Clary might tell Jace about her doubts or he might understand, he's very perceptive, ya know. **_

_**EvaAnneLenthe : Your old username was so cool but this one is beautiful. Thank you for not using the colourful words from the beautiful Netherlands, and choosing to support me. I hope you'll be here for the end. **_

_**CarrisaCampbell:**_ _ **Hi! Good to see you again. And I just had to make Jocelyn the supportive parent who every teenager dreams of, let's see how that plays out. ;) Tell me what you thought of this chapter.**_

 _ **katherinemoreno262 , LilyRay321, djmia, thank you for the follows. Don't hesitate to let me know what you think of this chapter, okay?**_

 **This chapter talks of a few sensitive topics I have mentioned before in this story. If you have a problem, don't trouble yourself because this is not worth upsetting your mental health.**

 **enjoy.**

* * *

The option Michael had given Jace was being used to it's full potential. All his friends were gathered around two large pizzas that Isabelle has shown up, unannounced, with. The spirits were high and Jace felt a lot better having so much support and laughter around him. Finally, everyone he was close to knew the secret and he didn't have to pretend like he was Michael's son in front of his closest friends. His doubts about them not accepting him and not forgiving the lie were squashed by Isabelle's awkward announcement as soon as Clary brought them up to his "room". After the initial greetings and hugs Isabelle, in her own style, said, "Even if you are poor now or actually been poor, we still love you." before tackling him into a hug from which Clary had free him in fear of upsetting the healing wound on his chest.

"So, then Harold went to her house, determined to win her back and knocked on the door and knelled down with his mother's ring in his hand hoping to propose to Clary and the door was opened by Uncle Val." Isabelle burst out laughing, "It was a sight to see, Harold didn't look up. He was apparently so impressed by Clary that he had decided he would marry her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. We were fifteen. And he poured his heart out to her father, thinking it was her." Isabelle tried to control her fits of laughter at the memory, "And Uncle Val just looked up and saw Alec and I standing there, mortified, and simply said, "Alec, get this young boy some help." And shut the door on our faces!" She collapsed in laughter. "You should've seen the poor boy's face. Alec had to talk non stop to make him understand why his idea didn't seem very good to Clary and stop him from going back to ask Uncle Val for Clary's hand in marriage." She looked at her brother's irritated face, he was still vexed that he had to do that in the name of babysitting his sister, and dissolved in laughter.

Clary's shoulders were shaking at the memory with silent laughter. Jace amusedly looked at her, imagining the fiasco in his head. They were telling stories about their fun days at school to entertain Jace. "What did you do to make him fall so much in love with you, Clary?" Jace teased.

"Who the hell knows? The worst part, we were just playing with him. Who takes a middle school relationship seriously? We were kids. Now it really feels like freshman year was a joke. I had recently started being friends with Izzy, we decided that dating him would be a good idea to let loose. He was way too weird, I kissed him twice and still have nightmares." Clary said and shook herself, as if ridding herself of the memory.

"Why, he was that bad?" Jace asked, "Didn't make you want to kiss him forever?" He nudged her with his shoulder.

"That Harold was so awkwardly innocent that I still want to check up and see if he's alive." Alec said, "And coming from me, you know what it means."

"God, I don't know if that was kissing or not. I hadn't kissed anyone at that point but even my inexperienced self knew from the movies I watched that shoving your tongue like a ruler down someone's throat wasn't kissing. He almost choked me. The first time, I still remember, he had to run to get me water, I was coughing so badly." Isabelle broke down into peals of laughter.

"Seriously?" Jace asked, "How can somebody be that bad?"

"You haven't kissed strongly parented thirteen-year-old boys, you don't know half of it." Clary chuckled.

"Why, haven't you had any bad kissers?" Isabelle asked. "You know, when you were young, when you lived in New York?"

Jace sobered up from the laughter, "No, uh, I've never kissed anyone that young."

"Not even when you were young? When did you start dating?" Isabelle probed.

"Actually, Clary is my first girlfriend."

"What? I couldn't have imagined that." Isabelle was genuinely surprised and Jace got where she might be coming from. But Clary was actually his first girlfriend. He hadn't faced a bad kisser, at least that bad because he had just kissed or been kissed by older people, men and women, and when he was younger, he had never wanted to kiss somebody for fun. The idea of dating kind of abhorred him until he was a little older. And then it became a serious concept about finding someone compatible who he could trust with all his fucked-up life. Which had seemed very unlikely until Clary.

He looked at his girlfriend, intensely feeling the gratitude at finding her and having her love and trust in return, "I really am that." He smiled, not going into the explanation, at Clary who looked disturbed, obviously knowing the whole story.

"At least you didn't die from a bad kisser, imagine what it would've looked on a death certificate 'Death by choking on someone's tongue.'" Magnus, the only other person who knew, said diffusing the subject. All of them again started laughing.

After a series of stories about Isabelle's bad decisions, Clary's unfortunate dates, Simon's ridiculous vampire lover phase, Alec's one and only girlfriend and Magnus's customers in his future teller shop, Isabelle turned to Clary, "Really girl, you lucked out. Even after making out with Harold, you ended up with this." She gestured at Jace who smirked at the comment.

"Oh! Iz, I didn't want to tell you because you put him on such a pedestal, he is even worse than Harold. I pity kiss him." Clary said in a faux poignant voice.

"What are you talking about? I am an excellent kisser." Jace defended his kissing skills.

"No, sweetie, I never said anything because I didn't want to hurt you." Clary squeezed his cheeks.

"I am not going to tolerate this slander!" Jace announced, "Let's prove it for one and all." Jace went to kiss her but she avoided.

"I am really not in the mood to get my teeth brushed, Jace." She innocently said, making Isabelle exclaim.

Jace narrowed her eyes at her, plotting to one up her, "Okay, I have to plead my case to Izzy, so I can just do this," He moved towards Isabelle, winking at her to play along, closed his eyes and went to kiss her but had his face ripped away and a pair of familiar lips pressed roughly against his own. He couldn't help but smile at the worked-up Clary who was weaving her fingers into his hair and slightly pulling the way she always did. He closed his eyes and continued kissing her, hearing whistles, hollering and claps from their friends.

When they finally pulled away Isabelle looked like a happy Cheshire cat, "I would've said ew but that was very sweet guys. My OTP is back!"

"What is OTP?" Alec asked.

"Alexander, I will educate you on the various acronyms in the fandom culture later, don't worry. You won't have to stay so helpless." Magnus patted Alec on the head who swatted his hand away. Magnus leaned in to kiss his boyfriend who gladly reciprocated.

"Now everyone is kissing." Isabelle dejectedly said.

Simon adorably pressed a kiss on her cheek, "Come here." He pulled her close and whispered something in her ear which made her squeal and he smiled goofily.

Jace leaned back on the pillows gathered behind him from a slight discomfort in his side. Clary noticed, "Is your pain back?"

Jace shook his head and kissed her on the forehead, "No, I'm fine." He rested his head on the headboard of the bed and put his arm around Clary, looking at his friends having a good time.

* * *

"Jace, can I talk to you for a moment?" Magnus called him.

Jace visibly hesitated before agreeing with a nod. He led them into the kitchen, under the pretext of bring more plates, "Magnus, I know what you want to know and..."

"Then you better start talking because I have had enough. I have not brought this up for about a month now, but I've had enough. I had to open the door to you covered in your own blood and have you lose heartbeat for a second on my couch before the paramedics came. Do you understand? You almost died on my hands. And I deserve an explanation."

Jace sighed and sat down on the kitchen counter. "Michael sent me on a job. He came to know, wanted to remove anyone who knew too much and wasn't loyal. I was taken to an alley where I somehow fought my way out. And then you know." He stared at the space between his feet.

Magnus looked at his with pursed lips. Before he could say anything, Jace spoke again, "Magnus.." His eyes were shiny with unshed tears and Magnus could see the expected fear that he hadn't seen so far, "I was so scared." He looked down as a drop fell from his eyes onto his sweatpants creating a darker patch on the black cloth. "I thought I was going to die." He looked at Magnus, eyes red, tearstains on his cheek, "I was so scared. I couldn't get out and I was hurt and I thought nobody would know. They would make sure nobody knew. And what would happen to my family? Michael would work mom to death and Kit? My baby brother. He would be helpless and thrown into a life I've been working so hard to save him from. Mom lost Dad to this, she wouldn't survive this." He was almost hysterical, the supressed feelings finally pouring out, "I had to get out of there and get help. Magnus." He turned desperate eyes to his friend, "I think I killed a man."

Magnus tried to control his reaction but his shock showed through, "What are you saying?"

Jace sniffled, "The man who was trusted to kill me. I had to fight him to run from there. I took his knife and blindly struck him. He was bleeding and unconscious when I ran, I didn't check for a pulse. I don't know if anybody found him. I didn't hear anything on the news. If he's alive, he's sure to come for me again. And if he isn't, I don't know what to make of it."

The look on Jace's face sent Magnus to a place in the past where he was face with a similar expression on a much plumper, shorter and younger boy in his school. The matter was different but the cry for help was clear then as it is now. "Okay. We can't be sure of anything. Let us assume the bad guys are still coming and keep you safe, okay?" Magnus placed a comforting hand on the disturbed boy who nodded and returned to staring at the floor.

Magnus remembered the first time he'd seen Jace. A young freshman, just in senior school for two days, sitting alone in the maths room. He had noticed the boy being pushed around and made fun of but he never fought back, never stirred up the air or even complain to anyone. He didn't even make any friends, so Magnus approached him carefully. Over time, he'd gotten the boy to trust him and seen him grow physically and mentally. But his physical growth had been more noticeable to other people, he had started getting second looks and phone numbers. He hadn't known what to do with that at first and Magnus had seen him get in control of that gradually.

Magnus had been shocked to the core when Jace had opened up to him about the work Michael Wayland made him do. He was like a little brother to him and hearing that made Magnus's blood boil but Jace had begged him not to tell anyone because it would hurt his family. Over the years, he had seen that boy go through living hell but never complain. Break down but get back together within minutes. He had an immense respect for Jace and a very protective instinct when it came to him. They had always been able to be themselves in front of each other and share their insecurities and vulnerabilities. Magnus had tried to be a big brother to this boy who tried to protect everybody. Seeing that boy drenched in his own blood and lose consciousness and being under surgery for so long and almost dying had shaken Magnus up. Alec had been the pillar of strength to lean against.

"Jace?" He squeezed his shoulder. Jace looked up, "You did what you had to. Even if he's dead, you did what you had to survive. You shouldn't beat yourself up about it."

Jace looked at him and took his words with reverence. He suddenly shot up and hugged Magnus, hiding his face in Magnus's neck. Magnus held the shaking boy tightly, running a hand down his back, trying to soothe him, while Jace almost clawed into his back, trying to keep it together.

"You're safe, Jace. You're still here. I got you." Magnus pacified him.

He looked up and saw Alec standing at the door looking concerned. Magnus signed for him to leave them alone for the moment and he went back.

* * *

Jace sat on the bed by a sleeping Kit reading up on school work when Scarlett knocked on the door.

"Hey, I saw the light still on and came to check in. You doing good?"

"Scar, come on in. I was just catching up on school stuff." Jace kept the stapled pages aside, "Where were you this evening, everybody came over, you could've joined us."

Scarlett went towards Kit and fixed the covers he was tucked into and pecked his head before jumping on the bed and sitting cross-legged at Jace's feet, "I ran into Celine on the way back from work and then accompanied her back to the store and helped her shop. And then sort and then cook. We talked for a while also."

"Ah! So you chose to spend your evening with my mom?" Jace gave her a lopsided smirk.

"She is more interesting than you are." Scarlett returned the smirk.

"Thank you."

"For what?" Scarlett frowned, a smile still on her lips.

Jace leaned across his straightened legs and squeezed her hands, "For everything you did and are still doing for my family and me."

Scarlett shook her head with a warm smile, "You don't have to thank me. Remember what you did for me? You saved our lives, Jace. You gave two strangers a home without a second thought. If you hadn't done that I don't know where I would be today. You took care of us like family in spite of all the problems you face. You let me make your home my home too. Taking care of my own family is not a favour to you. don't do it for getting acknowledgement, we do it out of love." She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, "So stop with all the gratitude giving. If anyone should be thankful, it should be me, that you didn't die on us."

Jace chuckled, a wide smile stretched on his face, "How did I stumble upon the nicest homeless person ever?"

Scarlett shrugged, "I call it pure dumb luck." They broke into soft giggles, careful not to wake Kit up.

"Come here." Jace extended his arms out inviting her for a hug that she accepted and they settled into a comfortable embrace which none broke.

Scarlett pulled away after a while and stood up, "I should go to my room. Michael has been acting awfully nice nowadays even though I know now. I feel like I should watch my back or something."

Jace frowned, "You probably should. If he approaches you with something, come to me immediately. If he tells you not to tell me anything about any proposal or job, come to me twice as fast. I don't trust that man as far as I can throw him. I don't want any of you in any danger."

"Okay. I promise." Scar swore. "Now lay down and go to sleep. Don't exert yourself."

Jace pouted, "You guys keep saying that. Clary almost blackmailed me to sleep." He yawned, uncontrollably, "I think my body is on your team. I suddenly feel sleepy."

Scarlett chuckled, "Sure, that must be it. Lie down, I'll tuck you in."

Jace obeyed her and she tucked him in like she did with their brothers. He closed his eyes like a content child and accepted the pampering. Scarlett switched the lights off on her way out drowning them in a sudden darkness which made Jace open his eyes and squint. He felt her bend down and press a gentle kiss on his forehead and walk out, her silhouette lined with white light from the corridor outside when she opened the door slightly and went out.

* * *

Clary was awakened by the ringing of her phone. She groaned, mentally cursing the person calling her that early. Her eyes fluttered open. She dragged herself, scowling at the loud blaring music set as the ringtone, that was one of her favourite songs but early in the morning, she wanted to strangle whoever made such abomination in the name of music. The curtains were drawn and the mild sunlight of the dawn was not lighting the room up very well. She squinted at the screen, the light of the mobile pinching her eyes, and tried to read the contact name.

"Jace?"

"Clary."

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Hearing the voice of the owner of the number gave her a bit of relief but the urgency in his voice didn't do wonders to her tension.

"Yeah, well, mostly yes."

By then Clary was fully awake. She unplugged her phone from the charger plugged into the socket by her bedside table and laid back on the pillow. She could hear water dripping into collected water and Jace's breathing sounded a bit louder than usual, even the rustling of clothes as he probably shifted positions was echoing. "Why are you calling me from your bathroom?"

"Oh, um, I didn't want to disturb Kit. He went to bed late after telling me all about how he felt after I was stabbed. He's exhausted. And I didn't want anyone else to know that I am awake so I came into the bathroom to talk."

"Tell me." Clary prompted, recognising strain in his hushed voice.

"It's just that, I was, uh," Jace audibly inhaled, "Last night after talking to Kit I was taken back into the past a bit. I happened to talk to Scarlett after that and well, it was nothing, I thanked her for what she does and she said that she was grateful for what I had done for her and her brother because you know, they were being thrown out of there and they wouldn't have had a place to live and things would be difficult for them, well, specially for her, since she has Kai to look after and looking after a little sibling alone is not easy and that too done with limited means, you know what I'm saying?"

"I can imagine, Jace." Clary could tell that he wanted to talk about something that was affecting him but wasn't being able to formulate it so he was going into unnecessary detail about other things. She was familiar with this trait of his, so she tried to urge him to let go of the inhibition and the thing pressing down on him which made him dial her at four in the morning. "What did you think about? You said you were taken back to your past." She tried not to push too hard. She told herself that she didn't need to know everything that happened before she met him, even though she wanted to know everything. It was about him. Clearly whatever arose hurt, he needed to get rid of it at his own pace. God! How she hated not being physically being there at that moment.

"I was just thinking about the time my dad died. How everything suddenly changed." He paused for a while, "It's nothing. I'm sorry for waking you up. Go back to sleep."

"I'm wide awake. I don't think I want to go back to sleep. So, do you want me to come over?"

"Here? How will you do that?"

"We have a car and I can drive, how do you think I will get myself over there?"

"You sure you can?"

Clary smiled, "Give me half an hour."

* * *

Clary parked her car outside the Wayland property remembering the last time she'd driven over and had to climb the gate. This time the guard at the door opened it for her and asked her to drive in. Jace must've given him her car number. She got out and walked over to the huge door of the mansion and walked inside. It was too quiet and dimly lit. She tried to make her way to the room Jace had been given when she felt him grab her elbow, "Come with me."

They walked in silence to one of the guest rooms on the other side of the mansion. Jace checked the corridor and then walked in and bolted the door from inside, drowning them in pitch black darkness. Clary heard successive switching on of electrical switches and suddenly the light came on and Clary saw Jace standing near a switchboard switching off the one's not needed. She looked around the room. It was unfurnished. With a spare mattress carelessly tossed in a corner. Although the room had the potential to look like any one of the beautifully decorated plush rooms in the mansion. It was as huge with whitewashed walls and had a ceiling fan with vintage looking designed blades. The bare furnishing made it seem more big. Clary walked over to the mattress and sat down cross-legged. She held her arms out for Jace to do the same.

"Sorry for troubling you so much early in the morning." Jace said, as he gingerly sat down, being careful of his healing wound.

"Driving at such an ungodly hour comes with its own unique experience which I didn't mind having."

Jace smiled but it didn't feel genuine.

"You know you can talk to me about anything."

"I know."

Clary walked on her knees and straddled his stretched legs and threw her arms around his neck in a loose loop. She smiled and pecked him on the tip of the nose, chuckling when he scrunched it in surprised. "So, when are you coming back to school? You know less than a month is left for the finals. Which we got to pass to graduate."

"School feels like it's so far away. I will go back next week. Although I might need help studying."

"We'll study together. With Izzy and Alec and Simon so that we actually study instead of talking and making out."

"You really know how to suck the fun out of anything. Now I am not as excited."

Clary narrowed her eyes and leaned back as far as her hands stretched, "So you think we should do away with other people."

"That's definitely a better plan." Jace nodded, showing his wholehearted agreement.

"Yeah?" Clary moved closer so their noses almost touched. She could feel it when Jace slightly nodded and agreed. She tilted her head and pressed her lips to his, tangling her fingers in his hair. She kissed him lazily, with him just moving as she guided him. Clary pulled him closer and felt him lay his palms flat against the small of her back. She changed the tone of the kiss urging him to stop being the passive receiver. A message which was well delivered. Caught up in the chemical part of it her hand went from his hair to the buttons of the button down he was wearing. He stiffened for a second but relaxed, allowing her to open the buttons. She groped through most of the buttons and snaked her hands to his back through the newfound access. They had never gone more than that. She was fine with moving forward. There was a foreign tension in his back which she assumed was because of the line they were about to cross. She tried to give her consent through actions, thinking that that was the reason he was hesitant but soon realised he wasn't taking initiative to move anything forward. She pulled back and looked him. He looked slightly disturbed with eyes darting and not meeting hers.

"Do you not want to?"

Jace looked up at her and stared for a while at her confused face. And then finally spoke, "Yeah. I want to."

"Okay." She hesitated to make the first move again, given the tepid reaction she'd gotten the first time around but he took initiative this time. Shirts came off faster. She traced the edge of the gauze still on his chest and made a mental note to work around it. Feeling bold she moved from his lips to his neck, tilting his head to the opposite side with her hand. For a moment, she felt like she had power over him. She slightly nipped on the soft skin at the juncture of the shoulder and neck, soothing it over with soft traces of her tongue before slightly sucking the wet skin with firm lips. She felt his hold tighten on her waist and in turn pulled his head back by his hair to expose his neck. She had never felt like that before. She had always stayed on the receiving end but she felt euphoric when she heard the supressed groan her boyfriend couldn't hold in and his tough finger tips claw her waist. She was so in lost that she didn't realise the first moment when he started resisting. His hands were pushing her away and head trying to cover the exposed neck.

She sat back down on the mattress, close but not touching. His eyes were closed, frown marring his forehead, lips drawn in and sealed, head dropped and hands fidgeting and scratching. His back was bent like a relaxed one would be but was as stiff as his whole demeanour. She frowned not understanding what was happening. Was he hurt? Was his wound acting up? Had she done something wrong?

She hesitantly called him, "Jace?" She reached out to touch his shoulder but as soon as one finger of hers had touched him, he flinched like it was hot iron. She quickly drew her hand back, a little scared as well as startled. She didn't try to know what was wrong then, just sat there, waiting for him to explain. She observed that he was breathing faster and shallower, trying to control something, some reaction. He opened his eyes and Clary was shocked to see them filled with tears. He didn't look up but the drops fell onto his lap. After a few minutes he looked up to her face. She tried to wipe any shock, fear or curiosity off of it and just support him while he was visibly extremely disturbed but maybe she did a bad job because his eyes seemed to read her face and grow more morose and disgusted. She couldn't tell what he was disgusted at.

"I'm sorry. I can't." He spoke quietly.

"It's okay. You don't have to. Everything is fine." She consoled him, not touching him unless he said otherwise.

"No, it's not. I shouldn't be freezing like this. I've done this so many times. And when I actually wanted to do it, my body is closing up."

A few words from his desperate statement stuck with her. She couldn't help but probe further, "Actually wanted? Jace, you don't have to share if you don't want to, but what did you mean by that?" Her heart and mind raced, both going to a very undesirable theory and praying that her speculations weren't true.

Jace sighed, closing his eyes exhaustedly. He ran his hand through his hair and pulled on the roots, face still tear-stained and lips bitten raw, face ashen. "I think you know."

Clary exhaled and closed her eyes in anguish. She couldn't believe her ears. With all the boy had to live through, he wasn't even spared this physical violation? She felt like she was the one wronged. She opened her eyes and saw Jace looking at her with tired, empty eyes. She didn't want to ask further questions and would have happily drop the subject if he'd asked her to but he didn't. He went on to explain further. So she let him talk.

"I was telling you somethings came back to me, this was it. The first time it happened resurfaced. I was young, twelve, at that time. I had just lost my dad, Kit was almost a year old, things were getting difficult at home and I wanted to help. As it is I was not going to school then, so Michael offered me my first job and I took it. It was a simple business deal, an exchange of papers, and I was the delivery boy who had to get the other party to sign it. So I went to the address given to me. I was not connected to the outer world much back then. So when the woman asked me to go in the hotel room, I did. She was friendly, made me open up. She signed the paper and started with holding my hand. Honestly, I don't even remember how it got more than that and at that time I didn't even know what was happening, all I knew was that I wanted it to stop. I didn't like her touching me in any way. When I tried to protest she said she'd call off the deal if I didn't comply. I remembered Michael telling me to be as talented as my father was in helping close deals and do what I have to otherwise he'd take my baby brother away from us. So I kept shut. When Michael heard about it, he patted my head and told me that I had done a good job and dressed me up for the next job. The next dealer was a man who was a lot bigger than me. I was very skinny and not this tall back then, I had suddenly lost all the weight I had and was looking leaner. I liked my body after a long long time but those nights ruined it. I couldn't even look at myself in the mirror. Two or three years later I understood how to take control. Taking control felt better. I was in charge, it wasn't happening to me, I was the one doing it. And since then, almost all the late night hotel deals have been that. I've never lost control. I thought I was over it, I was used to it. But lately, I don't know what happened. It's like six years ago all over again." He finished his story and removed his gaze from the corner of the room and placed it on Clary, looking for her reaction.

She didn't know how to react. She was stunned into silence. She knew Michael Wayland was into shady business and made Jace do dangerous things but she hadn't imagined this. It made her want to go to Wayland and strangle him in his sleep. She knew she should tell something but she couldn't remember words. Everything that came to her mind seemed superficial. What do you say to a boy who just admitted to having been raped for years and then having to trick himself into believing he wanted it?

Jace's eyes showed all the scars but it soon got blurry with unshed tears. He gulped, "You hate me now, don't you? You feel disgusted, I can see it on your face." His dejected form tugged at Clary's heart. Her own eyes filled with tears which she wiped away with the back of her hand.

She wanted to say the right thing, to be supportive but what came out made her want to wrap a duct tape around the useless hole on her face, "That time when we broke up, that night in the Pandemonium, you said you were working."

He looked up and nodded. He suddenly turned defensively excited, "I promise I gave it up when I met you. Michael sent me on that last job. I didn't want to take it but I had to. I didn't cheat on you, I promise. I couldn't dream of doing something like that, believe me." He was speaking too fast trying to defend himself.

Clary was even more surprised that he actually thought she would think that way, his earnest explanation of his commitment to her and being forced to break that made the final blow. Her tears started flowing, "You stupid boy. How can you even think that I'd be disgusted at you!" She rested her head on her hand before straightening and standing on her knees, "I love you so much. And learning about what you did to solely protect your family, what you went through silently, makes me so sad. I wish you weren't even hugged without your consent and I wish you didn't lose your father when you did and I wish you never met Michael Wayland. But, all that happened to you made you so strong and I love you. And you can show me how you feel, Jace. That's what I am here for. Whatever you have to hide from your family, you don't have to from me. Just promise me you won't try to protect me. Because I can take whatever comes my way but I can't take it if you ae hurt anymore."

Jace nodded, "Okay."

"God! I want to kill that pathetic excuse of a person, Wayland!" Clary growled.

To her surprise Jace chuckled. She looked at him surprised which made him laugh more. And soon they were both shaking from silent laughter and had tearstained faces.

"Of all the reactions, I didn't think you'd react with murder." Jace said with a smile. He still looked tired but better than before.

"If first degree murder wasn't a crime, Wayland would be dead by now. I have seen that man about twice and both times I had this urge to strangle him or push him off of a building." Clary said, playing into her joke as it seemed to help Jace feel better.

It had her desired effect. Jace chuckled and shook his head. "You should've seen you, messy red hair, five feet tall, about three feet on your knees, growling about killing a man."

"I'd have you to help me hide the body."

"Anytime."

They both settled down, smiling at each other. Clary moved back and laid down on the mattress on her back, "Want to come here?" She asked.

Jace crawled over to her side and laid down on his back. Both stared at ceiling, lying in silence.

Clary tilted her head to the side, cuddled on her arm, and looked at Jace, "You don't have to do anything until you're ready. I love you, I am content as long as you're here. You take your time to heal. Anything you need. I am right here. You just have to ask for it."

Jace turned his head towards her, "Okay." He whispered.

"I am in this with you. Together."

"Okay."

He turned his body sideways and curled into a foetal position. She touched his face, tenderly tracing the tear stains and rubbing them away. When he didn't flinch, she threw her arm around his shoulder. She straightened the arm under her head and he laid his head on her arm and snuggled into her throat and chest like she usually did with him. That morning, she held him for the longest time.

* * *

Scarlett had seen Clary's car outside so she was already wondering how it got there at night. She found Jace in one of the spare rooms of the mansion after looking for him for half an hour. When she saw them curled around each other, fast asleep. she didn't have time to be jealous. At other times, she was always irritated with Clary. She liked Jace and in her mind, Clary was too naïve to be with him. Unlike her. She could stand shoulder to shoulder with Jace and support him and have his support in return.'

She didn't have time this time. She called their names, "Jace! Clary! wake up!" After a lot of calling, they groaned, slowly waking up.

Jace squinted at Scarlett, hand still across Clary's waist, "What are you doing here?"

"I can't find Celine anywhere. Jace, your mother is gone."

* * *

 **A.N: So what did you think? Follow, favourite, review if you liked it. I hope your arms don't ache too much from hanging on a cliff.**

 **xoxo Thea**


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